Birds Coughing in the Trees
by Lady Jenna
Summary: Amy’s cousin “Jig” comes to Everwood and, well, causes a chain reaction effect. Worth reading, I think.
1. i don't own the everwood gang

"Birds Coughing in the Trees"

By: Lady Jenna

The two cars pulled into their respective parking places in unison. From the larger and more family oriented of the two exited a tall, brown haired man with a beard roughly growing in around his face. He stood briefly by his car in awe of the landscape that surrounded him.

From the second and more costly looking car exited a man with graying hair and a generally malcontent look on his face. He glared at the first man annoyed by the wonderment still on his face.

"They're just mountains. Rock, and dirt, and, snow," the second man muttered, beginning the daily banter the two had every morning. 

"Oh come on, Dr. Abbott. Even you have to admit they're quite majestic."

"See how majestic they look after your first hiker injury. Or the _second_. Or the _third._ Or the _fourth_," Dr. Abbott said. Andrew Brown, the first man, simply shook his head a smiled. Then the two men parted ways, heading for his own separate Medical Clinic. 

Dr. Brown stepped out of the street and onto the snowy sidewalk just as a loud, powerful sounding motorcycle pulled to a stop at the curb. The driver, an elderly and rough looking woman, was expected. The passenger, who joined her, was not. The expected woman unlatched her helmet and hung it from the handlebars; the unexpected one unlatched her helmet and sat it on the seat. In contrast to the elderly and rough looking driver, the passenger was a girl no more than 15, who looked around her at the mountains with awe. 

"Morning, Doc," the driver said to Dr. Brown with a nod of military courtesy.

"Good morning, Edna. Who's this?" Dr. Brown asked as the girl walked over to Edna Harper's side. Edna sighed irritably.

"She's the reason I'm going to be a little late coming in today. Doc this is Juliet Green, Jig, this is Dr. Brown," Edna said and the two exchanged nods. Edna sighed again and cleared her throat.

"Yea, she's my sister's granddaughter, she'll be up here staying with us for awhile. Today's her first day of school, so I gotta go make sure everything's okay."

"That's perfectly fine, Edna, take all the time you need. Nice to meet you," he said with a nod to the girl, who nodded back.

A few steps past the wooden doors and into the revamped train station/ medical clinic Dr. Brown sighed upon seeing the first of the day's patients. A woman sat on a wooden bench with a look of embarrassment on her face. She leaned back in the bench to reveal the black haired boy sitting next to her. He was a toddler perhaps no more than three, and looked about himself as if he was completely confused by his surroundings. Lodged a good way up his left nostril, was a red crayon.

"Devin, again?" Dr. Brown asked. The woman nodded and Dr. Brown motioned the both of them into his examination room. 

Ephram Brown, upon the completion of etching his name into the wooden desk and the ringing of the bell, leaned up off of his desk and placed all of his books into a pile. The class filed out of the room around him, some quite, some chatting wickedly with friends. One student hung back to converse with the teacher. Ephram stood and gathered his books up in his arms. He searched the floor for any fallen items, and, finding none, was about to exit the room as his peers had done before him. The only obstacle from him doing this, was a forgotten notebook left on the desk behind him. Normally such a thing would be of little notice, but this particular notebook was covered with pictures familiar to him. He picked it up with a free hand and studied the front and back of it. Cowboy Bebop, Gundam Wing, Blue Sub 6, Lain. It was covered in pictures he didn't know anyone else in Everwood had ever heard of before. He added it to the pile of books he was already laden with and vowed to find its owner before the day was through. 

It was lunchtime and Amy Abbott was searching the noisy cafeteria for Ephram Brown. There was something she really needed to talk to him about. Unfortunately, her brother found her before she found Ephram. She sighed with a growing distaste for her brother's company, but the social order obliged her to sit with him and their shared friends. 

A moment after Amy's eyes stopped searching for Ephram, he slumped down into a chair in the cafeteria and buried his face into his folded arms on the table. He had no luck finding the notebook's owner, and to make matters worse he had seen Amy sitting with her simpleton brother and their posse. The image of the boy laying in a hospital bed, asleep through a coma, placed itself in Ephram's mind. Then the Grover story Amy told him played over again for him. She did love Colin.

"What's with you?"

"I'm in love with a girl who's in love with a guy in a coma," he found the words coming from his lips before he realized it. He jerked his head up, hoping he had imagined the words or mumbled them beyond comprehension. The girl who had taken a seat at his deserted table looked at him with a surprised gaze. Proving that she had heard him well enough. 

"At least she doesn't turn into a guy, cat, panda, or a little pig in water," she told him placing a faint smile on her face. The pure oddity of the remark made him surprised before it began to make sense. Before he could say anything the girl laughed more to herself them publicly.

"Sorry, there's this show called Ranma ½ where the characters-" she started but was stopped when Ephram leaned back, revealing the figures on his black shirt. She smiled genuinely and fully, and let out a small laugh.

"Finally a man of quality," she said amused. Ephram pulled out the notebook and handed it to the unknown girl. 

"Yours?" he asked her. She studied it before taking it from his hands. She nodded.

"I was wondering where I had left it."

"History."

"That sounds about right," she said and they both fell silent, a tad in awe of meeting another fan of Anime. After a few moments the unknown girl sighed in frustration.

"Girl in love with a guy in a coma? That would be Amy Abbott, and you would be Ephram Brown," she sighed, angry for not placing it sooner. Ephram was a bit surprised that a connection could be made, but extended his hand to her none the less.

"Ephram Brown," he introduced himself. She shook it.

"Jig."

"Jig?"

"Juliet Ira Green."

"Oh, Jig."

"Geez I shoulda known it was you just by lookin' at 'cha. You certainly don't look like the typical Everwood citizen."

"Thank you. But, now, how do you know about Amy and Colin?" he asked her, not really enjoying the customary exchange of pleasantries and preferring the point dealt with. 

"Colin, is that his name? I'm Amy's cousin. Well, second cousin. Our grandmothers were sisters," she explained. Ephram nodded in understanding. Was there anyone in the world _not_ related to the Abbott's? 

"You don't look like you're from Everwood, either," Ephram told her.

"LA," she answered the question he didn't ask. He nodded.

"Quite the switch."

"Yea. From New York must be an interesting move," she said and they both fell silent. Jig sighed.

"She talks about you a lot," Jig said catching Ephram's immediate attention. 

"Who?" he asked her, pretending that he didn't know.

"The Queen of England. She'd like to know if you wish to join her for _tea_."

"Okay, fine. What kind of stuff does Amy say about me?"

"Well she told me about your dad being a _brain surgeon_. That your little sister is _adorable_."

"Anything actually about _me_?"

"That you only have one friend in the world and its _her_…" Jig said and Ephram's face lost the fierce tone it had. 

"That's not true."

"Oh name someone else. Yea, ya can't can you?"

"Yes I can."

"Ranma doesn't count, he's a _cartoon_." 

"Anime, there's a difference," Ephram corrected her. Jig smiled. She held up her hand, extending two fingers.

"Now you have _two_ friends."

Ephram walked into his house and was greeted by a rather rank smell. He set his bag down and hung his coat up and fearfully walked toward the kitchen. As he reached the room, the smell grew worse, assuming that was actually possible. 

"What does TBSP and TSP stand for?" Ephram heard his little sister Delia ask.

"Tablespoon and teaspoon," Dr. Brown answered her.

"Oh, no…" Ephram said seeing his father standing in front of the stove, "you promised you wouldn't cook again."

"Your sister's class is having a bake sale," Dr. Brown explained.

"If I don't bring in something none of the other kids will let me forget it. One year a kid didn't bring in anything, and they picked on her until _college_," Delia explained. 

"If you let him bake for you you'll be picked on until you retire…" Ephram whispered to her and she smiled. 

"Yea, yea, leave the dad alone. Why are you so late getting home?" Dr. Brown asked his son.

"Amy just wanted to talk to me about something," Ephram said. Delia smiled.

"Ephram's got a _girlfriend_. I bet she just wanted to tell you how much she _loves_ you…" Delia said. Ephram pinched her shoulder slightly. 

"She just wanted to tell me that her cousin is in town, that's all."

"Oh Juliet, she seems nice," Dr. Brown said.

"Jig, she goes by Jig."

"Jig, that's a funny name."

"It's her initials."

"She seemed about your age, is she in your grade?"

"Yea. She's elected herself one of my friends, too," Ephram said and scoffed slightly. 

"Maybe _she_ loves you," Delia said grinning. Ephram pinched her shoulder again. 

"You need a life, seriously," he told her, he then paused and looked at his father opening the oven door, "and maybe a stomach bump."

"I heard that…"


	2. but i do own jig

The two cars pulled into their respective parking places in unison. From the larger and more family oriented of the two exited a tall, brown haired man with a beard roughly growing in around his face. From the second and more costly looking car exited a man with graying hair and a generally malcontent look on his face.

"So, Dr. Abbott, enjoying your cousin's visit?" Dr. Brown asked the other doctor. Dr. Abbott scoffed.

"She's her mother's daughter, who was her aunt's niece…" Dr. Abbott replied. Dr. Brown chuckled. 

"Your step-father must be going crazy," Dr. Brown said. Dr. Abbott sighed and turned to him.

"Look, if you plan on exchanging pleasantries everyday that's fine, but see if you can leave my _family_ out of it…" Dr. Abbott told him. Dr. Brown nodded with a smile, let out a small chuckle, and walked over to his medical clinic. 

"Morning Edna," Dr. Brown said walking into the office. Edna was already at her desk. She handed him a few pieces of paper.

"Morning Doc. Mrs. Murrieta called, Devin got another crayon stuck in his nose, so they're on their way," Edna informed him. Dr. Brown sighed. 

"What color is it this time?"

"_Powder Blue_."

"Why does she continue to _give_ him crayons?"

"Kid wants to be an artist," Edna said. Dr. Brown gave her a questioning glance. Edna shrugged. 

"Hey, uh, there's one thing that's kind of been bothering me…" Dr. brown started.

"_One_ thing. If there's only one thing bothering you, you're ahead of the rest of us…"

"Why is Jig, it is Jig right, why is she in Everwood anyway?" Dr. Brown asked his gruff nurse. Edna sighed and looked down at the floor before returning her gaze to the good doctor.

"Why are any of us here, Doc?" Edna asked her. He nodded in understanding and walked into his office. 

Dr. Brown walked over and sat in the chair behind his desk. He placed his elbow on the desk and rested his chin in his hand. His eyes moved over to the framed picture of his wife on his desk. His eyes then went to the picture beside it. It was of Ephram and Delia, maybe five years ago. They were both smiling and happy. Ephram wasn't a teenager then. Being a father wasn't as hard. Then, though, he didn't have to do it alone… Dr. Brown let out a sigh of general gloom but shook it off upon hearing the door to the clinic opening and Edna welcoming the mother, son, and powder blue crayon.

"Hey Ham," Amy said walking over to Ephram, who was exchanging books at his locker. He sighed. He closed his locker and looked at her. She had a slight smirk on her face and the light was hitting her just right to make her eyes shine. Ephram smiled.

"You know you're the only person who calls me that," he told her. She laughed slightly. 

"It just hasn't caught on yet, give it time."

"Oh yea, I can't _wait_ to be referred to as a deli meat. Ham isn't Kosher, by the way."

"We've had this talk Ephram, Ham is short for Hamlet, oh dark prince," she told him smiling.

"_You _know that, and _I_ know that. But _everyone else_ thinks it's a meat."

"How about Ranma, then?" Amy asked. Ephram looked at her in surprise.

"Ranma?"

"Yea, Jig said that's what the symbols on your shirt say. Ranma one and a half."

"No, just, just one half," Ephram said laughing a little.

"Well whatever. Do you like Ranma better?"

"No, that's probably worse. Just make it Hamlet instead of Ham and we'll be fine," Ephram told her. Amy nodded.

"Agreed," she said and shook his hand. 

Ephram walked into his history class and found Jig already asleep at her desk. He scoffed and sat down in his chair. He checked his watch once he was settled, still a few minutes before class started.

"So," he heard from behind him, "which is you favorite gundam?"

"Deathscythe Hell," he answered with a sigh, "and yours?"

"Sandrock," she answered. Ephram narrowed his eyebrows in surprise and turned in his chair to see her.

"Sandrock? With all the frills?" he asked her.

"Hey, with the brown cloak it had on in some eps, a mighty cool looking mecha," she told him. He shook his head.

"No, no. Nothing looked better than the Deathscythe Hell. With the batlike wings and embellishments on the helmet…"

"And the priest in the cockpit."

"You asked about gundam, not pilot. But for the record Duo isn't actually a priest."

"I know, I know. It's in honor of the Maxwell Church that took care of him when he was a kid."

"Yea. But if you want to debate pilots, let's start with the _purple vest_ of Quatre's…"

"It's his sisters' influence."

"More like Trowa's if you ask me…"

"Well, maybe. But that's a _completely_ different conversation," Jig told him and Ephram laughed. He then realized he was laughing and stopped himself. That made Jig smile. 

"So there is more to life then my cousin. Curiouser and curiouser."

"You know that's not actually a word."

"It's besides the point."

"Hey, why are you bugging me so much anyway? You're getting on my nerves."

"Because these "small town folk" are getting on _my_ nerves. You know I said "God dammit" the other day and a seven year old boy called me a "heathen"?" Jig said and Ephram laughed.

"Yea, but they aren't _all_ like that."

"I know. Edna and Irv are cool. Yea, but you weren't talking about them. You meant Amy. So does she know you're hopelessly in love with her?"

"No one ever said anything about it being hopeless."

"Oh, it's hopeless…" she said. Ephram was about to set her straight when the teacher began the class. 

Dr. Brown came home after the last house call of the day to find his teenage son locked in his room and his young daughter coloring in the living room. Knowing he'd get no response from the son, Dr. Brown walked over to converse with the daughter. He sat down on the couch behind her with a sigh, thankful for the good cushioning of the couch.

"So how was the bake sale?" he asked her. The daughter's marker paused for a few moments before starting up again. 

"Ms. Violet thinks we earned enough money to go on a field trip without any cost from the kids," Delia told him. Dr. Brown frowned. His daughter dodged the question about his attempt at baking well.

"That's good…" he said in a tone letting her know that he was aware of her dodge. If she felt it in good judgement not to mention his cookies, he felt it in good judgement not to push the subject. He might not like where it headed. 

"Mr. Harper made lemon squares," she said and Dr. Brown laughed slightly. 

The phone rang and Dr. Brown got off of the couch and answered it. To his surprise it was for his son. Dr. Brown walked over and banged on his son's door. The music level lowered and the door opened just enough for Ephram to peek out.

"Phone," Dr. Brown told him and handed him the cordless. Ephram looked at it as if making sure it was real, before snatching it from his father's hand and closing the door. Dr. Brown sighed and went to warm up some of the leftovers from when they ordered out last night.

"Hello?" Ephram asked into the phone a tad nervously, figuring it must be Amy at the other end. 

"You're right, "curiouser" isn't a word," the girl's voice said to him. He sighed angrily and sat down on his bed.

"God dammit it's _you_," he said. He heard Jig gasp in mock bewilderment.

"Heathen! Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain!" she yelled at him. She sounded so overly sincere Ephram smiled. 

"What to you want?"

"Just to tell you that you were right, it's not a word."

"I knew I was right."

"Well I didn't. Why would Carroll use a word that doesn't exist? I mean, wasn't he a _professor_?"

"He taught _Math_."

"Well, a professor is a professor. Don't they live by some code of laws or something?"

"Just the same ones as the rest of us."

"That's just horrible, though, a professor using a word that doesn't exist. _Twice_."

"Well if it makes you feel any better, he's dead," Ephram said and heard Jig laugh. 

"Okay, okay, but now to the serious and probably more substantial reason I called-"

"Finally…"

"What exactly _are_ your feelings for my cousin? Is it an emotional thing, or merely physical?"

"Emotional, I'm quite sure."

"Okay then. _Why_? I'm sorry, but I just _have_ to ask."

"You sound like you disapprove."

"Well, it's not that I disapprove, it's just that I don't understand. Amy is nice and all, but she's just so, "princessy", you know what I mean? She cares so much about her image she'll force herself to do things she hates doing. While you, you don't seem to give a damn. Plus, she doesn't know the different between cartoons and Anime," Jig said. Ephram sighed.

"She was the first person to be nice to me. She showed me around town. Plus when Bright and I got in a fight, she punched him in the face," Ephram explained. Jig laughed.

"She didn't mention that part. Okay then, I suppose that's a plus for her."

"And, well, I don't know. It's little things too…"

"Like smiles, and hair tosses, and the light touch of her hand?"

"Yea, stuff like that."

"But mostly the punch."

"Mostly the punch."

"Okay then, what about the Colin reason? The theory that she's using you to get to your dad?" Jig asked and Ephram fell silent. "Oops, looks like I've hit a nerve."

"I, uh, I don't know about that…" Ephram told her, his dislike and worry of the theory obvious. Jig sighed.

"Okay, Ephram, this is what I'll do. I'll use my girl and cousin status to weasel my way into her mind, and find out for you whether her feelings for you are sincere, or a trick. Okay?" she asked. Ephram paused. 

"Why? I mean, why would you do that for me?" he asked her.

"Because the Deathscythe Hell is cooler then the Sandrock." 


	3. and her past

"Oh, I suppose this is healthy," Dr. Brown said with slight sarcastic tone upon entering the kitchen to find his two children eating leftover pizza for breakfast. Ephram frowned slightly but Delia smiled. 

"We're out of milk," Ephram reported sternly. 

"Out?" Dr. Brown responded surprised, "we had a half gallon last night."

"Yea, well, _someone _dropped the cartoon and spilled it all over the floor," Ephram said leaning in toward Delia to made sure she had heard him. She stuck her tongue out at him and he sneered back. Dr. Brown chuckled slightly.

"Okay, okay you guys, cool off," Dr. Brown told them, his laughter still evident in his voice.

Ephram spun the dial on his locker and it opened easily from wear. To his surprise a folded piece of paper was laying on his books with his name written on it. He looked from side to side, down each end of the hallway as if he were being watched. Wordlessly he picked up the paper and unfolded it.

__

-It could be real love or it could just be "puppy love," I'm not sure yet. I've seen a picture of him, quite a few, actually. He's better looking then you are. There are a lot of nice stories about him too, he seems like a really nice guy, perfect for Amy. If I were you, I'd hope that when he gets out of that coma, he has amnesia or something.

Jig

Ephram sighed angrily, crumpled the paper up, and shoved it into a random pocket in his book bag. When he had a crush on a girl back in New York, it never got complicated. Now he had spies… When did love involve spies? He was a high school student, not a G-man…

Jig was asleep again when Ephram got to History. He rolled his eyes as he sat down in front of her. Doesn't she get _any_ sleep at home? He checked his watch. A few more minutes before class started, like yesterday. He waited a few moments but no question came so he turned around in his seat. Jig was still asleep.

"Gene Starwind or Spike?" he asked her. She didn't seem to hear him so he sighed angrily again and turned back around.

"Gene," she answered simply. Ephram scoffed and turned back around.

"Gene!" he asked in disbelief. 

"Better hair," she mumbled, her head still laying on her folded arms. 

"Even when he gets it cut at the end of the series?"

"At least it's symmetrical."

"Yea, but Spike's hair is part of his character."

"It's _green_."

"And Gene's is red," Ephram said defensively. Jig scoffed.

"This coming from a guy whose hair is _purple_."

"Hey, hey! At least _I'm_ not breaking into other people's lockers!" he yelled at her and she smiled unexpectedly. 

"It wasn't hard, 1, 13, 25. It was predictable," she told him slyly. He narrowed his eyes. 

"Then I'll have to change it."

"You're thinking 8, 1, 13, aren't you?" she asked him with a wide smile. Ephram turned around in his chair, facing the front again.

"Be quiet," he scolded. She laughed.

"Ha, ha, ha. That's what I thought."

Amy stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom. She held her hairbrush in her hair and ceremoniously brushed the long blonde strands into perfection. Putting the brush away she plucked off any detached strands of hair from her shirt. She then brushed an eyelash off of her cheek with her fingers. Normally she'd get the eyelash onto her finger and make a wish, but she didn't feel like wish making today. The door to the bathroom opened and Amy looked in the mirror to see her second cousin walking in, green paint on her shirt.

"What happened to you?" Amy asked in earnest worry, turning around to watch her cousin walk over to a sink.

"Don't worry, it's Tempera, it washes out," Jig told her with a reassuring smile. 

"Yea, but how'd you get it on you?" Amy asking, making sure she was perfectly understood. 

"Some guy spilled it on me," Jig said. Amy watched her cousin pour water on the front of her blue shirt silently for a few moments.

"You've been talking to Ephram?" Amy asked her simply, turning back to the mirror in front of her. Jig smirked, glanced at Amy, and then back at the green paint. 

"Yea. He's weird," Jig said still smirking. She knew her cousin was more than interested in the subject of Ephram, but didn't want to seem like it. 

"Weird? What do you mean?" Amy asked her, a little worry seeping through her voice. Jig shrugged in false confusion.

"Well, one moment he and I are talking about anime, and he gets pretty into it. The next he's huffy and giving me the cold shoulder," Jig explained. Amy's eyes narrowed and looked down at her hands, before returning once again to her cousin. 

"Maybe you just brought up something he doesn't like," Amy suggested. Jig laughed and shook her head.

"Oh no, I mention something he loves, actually, and he gets mad."

"That doesn't make sense. Is it a cartoon of some sort?" Amy asked her confused. Jig laughed a little.

"Yea, sure, it's called "Guy Loves Girl Loves Guy in Coma,"" Jig said laughing. Amy wasn't laughing so Jig stopped. "Sorry."

"No it's okay. It's just…" Amy said but deemed it too hard to finish. Jig rung the excess water out of the front of her shirt and tried to flatten the crinkles out of it. She walked over to Amy, a genuine concerned look on her face. She laid her hand on Amy's shoulder. 

"Amy, do you genuinely like Ephram, or are you just trying to get his dad's help?" Jig asked her slowly. Amy turned her head to look at her, a sad look gracing her face.

Ephram picked at the food on his Styrofoam tray casually with his fork, in no way enticed to eat any of it. He supposed his poking it was a subconscious notion to make sure it didn't jump up and try to bite him. He let out an annoyed sigh as Jig sat down across the table from him. She had no lunch with her, just a can of pop, which she set on the table and opened with a "pop."

"If you stop with the "I'm conscious he's not" jokes you might have a chance," Jig told him. Suddenly Ephram's lunch tray was not as interesting to him as it had been, and he looked up at Jig eagerly. 

"You're good…" he said and she smiled.

"Information can be a way of life in LA," Jig told him. He nodded in mild understanding. 

"So what are next week's lottery numbers?"

"If I knew that I wouldn't be in Everwood. Not that this week's jackpot would matter to you, oh overly rich one," Jig said with a bow of her head in false homage. Ephram sighed and shook his head.

"Why'd you come to Everwood anyway? You didn't come here by choice."

"Now how would you know that?"

"You're wearing five shirts and a sweater, two pairs of pants, three pairs of socks, and snow boots…" he told her matter of factly. Jig laughed and shook her head.

"It's _cold_."

"So why _are_ you here?" he repeated. Jig sighed and looked down at her pop can. 

"To give you a friend, Ephram. That is my entire role here," she told him. Ephram rolled his eyes and sighed.

"You can tell me later," he told her rather kindly for his normal disposition. 

"If I do it'll be against my will," she admitted. He looked at her surprised but she waved it off.

"So are you going to stop with the coma jokes?" Jig asked him, changing the subject. He nodded. 

"Yea, of course."

"Now that includes the ones to Bright too. Be nicer to him," Jig instructed. Ephram scoffed and looked away from her.

"Oh don't give me that "I'm above him on very level" look. When it comes to Amy you're not. Bright's good will is _important_, Ephram," she told him. 

"I'd rather _wither away and die_."

"Then what would I do for fun?"

"Watch Mononoke Hime again?"

"Or Spirited Away."

"Has that come out yet?"

"I think so, hasn't it?"

"I don't know but I really want to see it."

"I hope they dub it as well as they dubbed Mononoke."

"They did a _really_ great job on that!"

"Hey. Ephram," Amy said walking up behind them. The two fell silent as Ephram turned to see the face he expected to go with the voice. Amy had a slightly uneasy look on her face, which turned into slight embarrassment upon seeing that Ephram had been in a conversation. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this a bad time?" Amy asked him.

"Uh, well, actually Jig and I were…" Ephram said turning around to look at Jig. She was gone but her pop can was still on the table. Ephram looked around the cafeteria but couldn't see her anywhere. He heard Amy laughing slightly so he turned back around and was glad to see a smile on her face. Ephram smiled and chuckled slightly. 

"Can I sit down?" Amy asked him. He nodded his head quickly so she maneuvered into the chair next to him. 

"Does Jig do that a lot? Disappear?" Ephram asked Amy. Amy laughed and nodded her heard.

"I remember when we went down to see her when we were kids, she kept trying to disappear. It was weird…" Amy said and the two fell silent. Uncomfortable looking at Amy, Ephram's eyes banded around the cafeteria. He spotted a group of girls who he had known to be Amy's friends.

"Shouldn't you be over there with your friends? Wouldn't want them to think you and _I_ were friends or anything…" Ephram said looking back at Amy.

"Who cares what they think? If they really are my friends they won't care who I talk to," Amy said to Ephram's surprise. That was different than the last time she had to choose between them and him. Ephram smiled. 

"I seem to remember when it wasn't that way…" he said poking at his "food" again, not really wanting to see Amy's immediate reaction. Amy sighed and looked at her hands that were folded in front of her. 

"Yea, about that… Listen, Ephram, I am _so_ sorry about that. I, I just didn't realize I was a person. I mean, I know I was a _person_, I just didn't realize I was _myself_. That I was the one who had to decide what I did. Does, does that make _any_ sense?" Amy asked him somewhat disgraced, but mostly apologetic. Ephram nodded.

"Yea, yea I get it. It's okay, I understand," Ephram reassured her, even though he was just guessing at it himself. Amy smiled, relieved.

"Good," she said placing a hand briefly on his shoulder before taking it off. "Listen, to thank you for helping me out, you know, by asking your dad about helping Colin, let me take you to dinner. My treat. Is Thursday okay?" 

"Uh, about my dad…" Ephram started, guilt long since tearing away at the inner strength he thought he had. He had lied to her. What kind of a guy lies to the one he loves? 

"No, it's okay. He's allowed to or not to help Colin. He might not be any help anyway, who knows, right? So, Thursday, okay?" Amy asked him, standing up and pushing in her chair. He nodded his head nervously; she smiled, and walked away. Ephram let out a long, shameful, completely lost sigh and pushed his tray aside. He then used the free space to bang his forehead against the table. 


	4. and i own the computer i'm writing on

"I don't know what's wrong with her, she just doesn't seem to notice me or Bernard anymore. Before we'd say her name and she'd smile and laugh, maybe clap her hands together, but now, nothing," an agitated woman told Dr. Brown. The doctor was looking at a small, fuzzy headed, ten-month-old baby sitting on his examination table. The baby was dressed in a pink jumper complete with a pink bow sitting on her soft head. The mother, in no way a young woman, looked as if she hadn't slept in a week, never letting go of the handkerchief in her hand. Dr. Brown did a few simple tests with the baby. Eyes, nose, mouth, reflexes. The little girl did fine with all of them, and with a slightly amused smile on her face too. 

"When's the last time she was sick?" he asked the mother. She had to think for a moment.

"About two months ago! You know, that's when she started acting funny!" the woman replied as if all of her worries had been laid to rest.

"What was wrong with her?"

"She had this terribly high fever. My husband's fault, he kept her outside for too long," the mother told him. Dr. Brown scratched the beard on his chin that still itched every now and then, but now he was scratching it from contemplation. He checked the baby's ears again, now having something to look for.

"Ah ha, there we are," he said straightening up and looking to the mother, "I think the reason she doesn't respond when you call her is that the fever has made her deaf."

"What? That's _impossible_!" the mother cried with horror on her face and clenching the handkerchief in her hand against her face.

"I'm afraid it's not. Fevers have been known to deafen small children. Listen, I'll give you the name of a specialist in this field. If it ends up she is deaf he'll be able to help you and tell you what you need to do," Dr. Brown said writing a name and address down on a piece of paper and handing it to the distressed parent. She took it but still appeared as though she was to break out in tears.

"My baby! Deaf?" she demanded not so much from him as from anything.

"Deafness does not have to be a handicap, Mrs. Melendez. Helen Keller was deaf and _blind_ and she's one of the more well known women authors. There's no reason little Pamela should be any different," Dr. Brown reassured her with a smile. The mother forced a weak smile, and picked her daughter up into her arms. She thanked him and left the room. Dr. Brown sighed and sat down on his chair.

"Okay, who here knows the story of _Hansel and Gretel_?" the teacher asked the class and was answered by a roomful of raised hands. All hands, were in fact, raised, with the exception of one. Delia Brown sat in the back corner of the classroom wearing a baseball cap and the general morose expression she seemed to always have on at school. She knew the story; she just wasn't that enthusiastic about it. In actuality, there were aspects of the story that gave her nightmares. It was mostly oven scenes that got to her. 

"Okay then, I have something very special to tell you! This year our class will be putting on a play of _Hansel and Gretel_!" the teacher told them. The class erupted in a mix of cheers and whispered comments to each other about strengths and worries. Delia sighed and slumped her head into her folded arms on her desk.

Jig walked down the hallway rubbing her gloved hands together. It was _too_ cold. There was actually _snow_ on her front lawn today. She had _never_ seen snow before in her life. She's rarely felt a cold breeze, let alone _snow_. Everwood was pretty much her representation of Hell, only _colder_. In LA she'd wear a tank top or something to school, now she was wearing three turtle neck sweaters, one of which was really itchy.

"Hey you're Juliet Green, right?" a girl said walked up to her. The girl had a tan complexion and reddish, _really_ curly hair. Her lips matched her hair and her practically perfect teeth shone when she smiled. It would have been a nice smile but it was the kind of smile where you knew she wanted something, like a politician.

"Jig, I go by Jig."

"Oh. Hi Jig, then, I'm Desdemona Quincampoix. Or Desi," she said extending her hand. Jig quickly shook it and returned to rubbing her own hands together for warmth. 

"Interesting name," Jig said and Desi laughed and nodded her head.

"Well, my dad's a Black Frenchman and my mom's a White Everwoodian," she said with a smile. Jig nodded.

"Shakespearean name, know how that feels," Jig said. Desi laughed.

"Yea so of course we try to escape it by choosing nicknames. I'm a Latin band singer."

"I'm a dance tempo," Jig said with a smile, then something dawned on her, "what do you want?"

"You're friends with Ephram Brown, right?" Desi asked her, suddenly, and freakishly, serious. Jig was a bit taken back.

"In a way…"

"Great! So what's he like?" Desi asked her and Jig laughed in surprise.

"Why?"

"I'm on the school newspaper, I'm doing an article on him."

"I think you're supposed to say that _before_ you ask questions."

"My apologies. So about him… What's that weird creature on his shirt all the time?"

"It's a pig, or, a guy, depending on… I don't think Ephram would want to be talked about without his knowing," Jig told her.

"Oh come on! Ephram Brown the school mystery man! He's rich! He's quiet! He's bound to be a genius like his dad! His _famous _dad! Plus he's like _really_ hot! He's a perfect article! So come on, tell me about him, stuff nobody knows!" Desi pleaded with her. Jig sighed in aggravation.

"Okay, something no one knows?" Jig asked just to make sure. Desi nodded her head excitedly. 

"Yea, come on."

"Okay, something no one knows about Ephram Brown. Well, Ephram absolutely, positively, and utterly… _hates_ _reporters_," Jig said in a near whisper. Desi frowned and Jig walked away.

"You look like Hell," Ephram said sitting down across the table from where Jig was huddled in a slump. She looked up and scowled at him. The expression surprised him a bit.

"Things have happened since last you and I met…" she informed him. A sentence like that never brought good news, especially when expressed in a tone like that.

"What 'things?'" he asked her a bit cautiously. 

"Do you know who Desi Quincampoix is?" she asked him. He nodded. It was damn near impossible to forget a name like that. 

"Head of the school newspaper, isn't she?"

"I don't know if she's the head of it, but she certainly is on it."

"What about her?"

"She was asking me things in the hall today."

"What 'things?'" he found himself repeating. 

"You kind of things."

"Me? Why would she ask you about me?" Ephram asked her in almost laughter at the thought. 

"She's doing an article on you," she said and he froze in surprise. After he recollected himself he questioned her genuineness. 

"Really, she is," Jig answered in no way phased by the light accusation of lying.

"Why?" Ephram asked in complete disbelief. He'd rather not be known to anyone then people he liked. He hated it when people who shouldn't know a lot about him did. That's why Wendell got on his nerves. At least Jig was in the position to know things about him, considering she was living with his dad's nurse. 

"She called you 'Ephram Brown the school mystery man.' She said you were hot too."

"A 'mystery man?' That's ridiculous. This is high school, _everyone's_ a mystery!"

"Well you've been voted 'most mysterious' Ephram, congratulations."

"This sucks. What did you tell her?" Ephram demanded more than asked, in a voice that made it obvious she should have said nothing. 

"I told her you hate reporters," Jig said. Ephram nodded in approval. 

"Good, good. If she asks you about me again do, well, I don't know, something," Ephram instructed her still in quite the state of confusion. Why someone would want to write, let alone _read,_ anything about him was a complete enigma. 

"Something, gotcha. Oh, hey, speaking of people talking about you," Jig started, immediately again grabbing Ephram's attention, "who the Hell is Wendell?"

"Wendell? Why do you ask about him?" Ephram asked, again in complete surprise, but this time a bit more relieved. 

"He's been calling my house every night since I started talking to you," Jig said obviously annoyed by it. Ephram raised an eyebrow in curiosity. 

"What has he been saying?" he asked her.

"'I can help your cause.' That's it! That's all he says!" Jig said raising her arms into the air briefly.

"Cause? What _cause_?"

"You and Amy I suppose. That's the only cause I have going for me now. Except saving up for that Ayashi no Ceres DVD," Jig told him. Ephram sighed and started banging his head on the table. He stopped after a while and looked up at Jig. She was watching him, knowing perfectly well he had all reason to do what he was doing.

"I've got to get out of this place, it's driving me nuts," he told her.

"You? I had to help brush _snow_ of the sidewalk this morning!" she complained. He narrowed his eyes at her a bit. He then remembered she was from LA and probably had never seen snow before today. And it hadn't even snowed that much.

"You still haven't told we _why_ you're here," he told her. Jig frowned slightly.

"I'd rather not have to, Ephram," she confessed. He narrowed his eyes in a little worry.

"Is it that bad of a reason?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Worse than yours," she told him. He nodded in understanding and let it go, much to her pleasure. 


	5. well, actually my dad owns the computer

Amy gently moved the single pea she had left from one side of her plate to the next with her fork. Her parents were bantering back and forth across the table about the new stoplight going up on Main St. Her brother Bright seemed to be in the same bored sense of mind that she was in, only he was playing with his mashed potatoes. 

"Tell me, dear, when's the last time a crash actually happened at that corner?" Dr. Abbott demanded. 

"None so far and we'd like to keep it that way! It's just a precaution," his wife replied.

"A precaution costing the town money. Where is this money coming from anyway, hm? The fire department? Our schools? Maybe the hospitals, that's for irony!"

"Can I be excused?" Amy asked them before her mother got to reply. Dr. Abbott examined her plate and let her leave. Following his sister's example, Bright asked for permission to leave as well. He still had mounds of potatoes on his plate so he received a firm "no."

Up in her room Amy walked over to her CD player and hit the 'play' button. When the music started she paused in her steps briefly and closed her eyes. For that moment she enjoyed the beginning notes as she always did. Once the singing began she continued her trip and threw her book bag onto her bed. She only had some Algebra homework tonight, and that was no problem for her. She could never understand those people who have to struggle through Math; it came so easily to her. She got out the sheet and did the ten problems mostly in her head but had to write it all out anyway so she'd receive full credit. She understood the value of always writing the problem out for people who got them wrong, but she never got them wrong.

Once her Algebra homework was finished she sighed, a bit lonely, and her eyes traveled to her dresser. Sitting in front of the mirror was a picture of Colin. He had that great smile of his and the warm feeling in his eyes. She never thought living without him could be so hard. Sure Bright helped her get through it, he missed Colin too. Only he didn't miss her the deep way she did. When Colin wasn't around it was like a part of her was missing. Sure she'd get up and go to school every morning, but on some days it seemed like she was just watching everything happening, like she really wasn't there. She was lonely now and slowly becoming depressed. Her psychologist said that whenever she got depressed she should talk to someone, anyone. Unknowingly her hand reached out and grabbed the phone. She hit three numbers and stopped. That was the wrong number. That was Ephram's number. She hit the connection switch and redialed. 

"Yea?" she heard her grandmother's cantankerous voice on the other end. Amy smiled; something about her grandmother always made her smile.

"Hi Grandma. Can I talk to Jig?" Amy asked her.

"Oh, hi Amy. Yea she's right here. It's for you…" Edna said.

"Hello?" Jig asked curiously.

"Jig have you ever been in love?" Amy asked her. There was a pause on the other end.

"Hold on, let me sit down," Jig said and there was another, shorter pause, "I have, but not in the way you're thinking."

"What way am I thinking?" Amy asked walking over and laying on her bed, looking at the ceiling.

"The 'I need you,' 'I can't live without you,' way."

"Something like that. So how have you been in love, and, more importantly, with _who_?" Amy asked. Some how talking about somebody else's love life helped get her mind off of her own. Jig sighed, realizing she's have to tell for the sake of her cousin's, and her pawn's, happiness. 

"It was more of a _need_, than a love. He was my best friend. We grew up together, same apartment building, same school. He lived right above us."

"What was his name?"

"Isaac Graham. He was Graham and I was Green so we always sat next to each other. It was so much fun growing up. Isaac was this big, beautiful, Puerto Rican guy who all the girls loved, and I was his sarcastic little friend. He wouldn't date a girl unless I gave him the okay. We were really alike; we were basically in the same position growing up. I suppose I loved him," Jig explained and Amy smiled.

"What happened?" Amy asked her, hoping it wouldn't be something horrible and tragic. 

"He moved about a year ago, he and his mom. It was a move up though so I'm happy for him. He still calls and writes, we talk online. We're still friends," Jig said and Amy was glad she said that, even if it was a lie, which it could very well be. Amy hoped it wasn't though.

"Maybe you will love him in the type of love I'm talking about some day," Amy suggested and Jig laughed a little. 

"I'll have competition," Jig said with a slight chuckle. Amy was curious but figured it best not to ask.

"Do you miss him?"

"I miss other things more," Jig said and for a moment neither of them said anything. 

"He'll be okay, Amy," Jig told her in a serious and reassuring tone. Amy nodded knowing Jig wouldn't know she was doing it. 

"I know, _I just_, I just miss him so much. He really was a part of me, you know?"

"Not really, but I know people who do. Listen, Amy, try not to think about the people who aren't around, and try thinking about people who _are_. Now I don't mean forget about Colin, never do that, I mean look around and see the people who talk to you and touch you every day. The people who aren't ghosts from memories or dreams. The people who smile at you with genuine joy."

"You're talking about Ephram…"

"No, I'm talking about everyone," Jig corrected her and paused, "are you thinking about Ephram?"

"I, I don't know Jig. Ephram is this, this…"

"Yea, I know," Jig said and Amy sighed. She didn't want to think about Ephram, but sometimes she found that she just, did.

"You know tomorrow's Thursday…" Amy said a bit more to remind herself than Jig. There was a pause from the other end of the line.

"_Yea_… Today's Wednesday, Wednesday is usually followed by Thursday…"

"No, I mean, didn't Ephram tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"You have a _date_ with her and you didn't _tell_ me!" Jig yelled at Ephram as she slammed her books down in front of him on the library table. He jumped a little less than a mile and told her to be quiet. She huffed once and sat down. They were both quiet until they were sure no one was looking at them anymore.

"It's not a date," Ephram leaned forward and whispered to her.

"Will there be food?"

"Yea."

"Will there be friends?"

"No."

"Will there be family?"

"No."

"Is it out in public?"

"Yes."

"Than it's a _date_ Ephram!" Jig yelled in a whisper. 

"_She's_ paying," Ephram said. Jig opened her mouth to retort but no sounds came so she closed it again and narrowed her eyebrows confusedly.

"Than I guess it isn't a date…"

"See, I told you," Ephram told her. The reason he hadn't told Jig was because she would think it was a date when it wasn't. Amy was just thanking him for something he didn't do. Jig sighed, recovering from her agitated state.

"It was bold of you though, asking your dad to help Colin," Jig commended him. Ephram said nothing; instead he just looked down at the book he had been reading before Jig's arrival. 

"You _did_ ask him, right?" she demanded from him, a growing feeling in her that she wasn't going to like the answer. Ephram bobbed his head from side to side and moved his shoulders a little, giving her a completely useless physical response.

"I haven't gotten around to it, yet, actually," he more mumbled than said, but Jig was expecting the words so she heard them well enough. She clenched her fist and kicked his shin under the table as hard as she could. Ephram yelled out in pain briefly and bent over to rub his leg.

"You are _such_ an _asshole_!" Jig yelled at him, grabbing her stuff and standing up. She quickly turned and walked away from him. Ephram sighed, grabbed his stuff, and limped after her. 

He finally caught her in the hallway once feeling was back in his leg. It was after school hours so they were all alone in the hallway. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, making her look and talk to him.

"Look! I regret it, okay? I was _scared_! I thought she only talked to me to get to my dad!" he confessed. Jig was still angry but no longer in the mood to physically injure him.

"And _now_, huh? What about _now_ Ephram? Why haven't you told her you _lied_ to her?" she demanded from him as he looked away from her, shame covering his face.

"Because she might _kick_ me," he told her as a joke, though he didn't say it as one and she didn't take it with any humor. 

"You deserved to be kicked, Ephram Brown. And Amy's too nice to do it, she _likes_ you too much!" Jig told him and again he looked away. Jig now saw the regret on his face to the full extent so she sighed and rubbed the space between her eyes.

"Look, you can't go tonight," she told him. His head snapped back to look at her.

"Why not?" he asked her. Time alone with Amy was what he wanted more than anything in the world, just short of his mother. Jig sighed, aggravated that he would even ask.

"Because you don't deserve to go, Ephram! You can't get the prize if you didn't earn it, that's how it works," she told him. He nodded his head, knowing it was true enough. 

"So what do we do?"

"'We' now is it? I don't remember being informed of this dinner so you have lost all of your 'we' privileges here, pal," Jig told him. That made Ephram's eyebrows furrow. 

"You mean, with all the crap you haven't told me, that when I neglect to tell you _one_ thing, you're just going to _leave_ me?" he demanded from her angrily. That didn't make any sense and it wasn't fair. Now Jig turned her head away, more in avoidance than regret. 

"I told you I _don't want_ to talk about it, Ephram…" she reminded him.

"I don't care about why you're here anymore, I've given up on that. Okay, listen, we'll be even if you just tell me _one_ thing," he told her. Cautiously she turned back to face him.

"What 'thing?'" she asked carefully.

"That necklace you're always wearing. I only see the chain around your neck, what's on it?" he asked her. Her hand raised immediately to the chain of small silver balls that loops around her neck and disappeared under her shirt. She sighed and with her two hands pulled the entire thing into view. At the end of the chain was a pair of dog tags. Ephram's eyes narrowed curiously and Jig sighed again.

"They're my _dad's_. That's how he and my mom met. They were posted together. They fell in love, got married, and then she got _pregnant_, so they sent her home. When she was about six months pregnant she found out his platoon had come under _attack_… These tags are all that's left of him, they're _all_ that were found…" Jig told him. Ephram was silent. There was really nothing he could do but be silent. Her eyes had been on the dog tags as she spoke, but his eyes had been on her. She looked morose, but not to the point of tears of any sort. Not liking seeing Jig look like that, his eyes finally went to the dog tags she held in her fingers. He could see the name 'Donald Green' pressed into the metal. After a few moments of uneasy silence Ephram grabbed her arm lightly.

"Come on, I'll take you home. We have three hours to think about what to do about dinner," he said and they left the hallway.


	6. but I own the stickers on it

Delia had been oddly quiet ever since she got home from school the day before. Dr. Brown had been quite worried for his usually self-expressive daughter and was worried enough to leave where he was in the kitchen to try to talk to her.

"Delia, is everything okay at school?" Dr. Brown asked walking over to her in the living room. Her head snapped toward him and a quick "yes" escaped her. Dr. Brown was about to continue when the door he was standing in front of opened and his son walked in. 

"Hello Ephram," Dr. Brown greeted them. Ephram nodded instead of replied and walked into his room. 

He and Jig had talked it out for the last hour. He _had_ asked his dad to look at Colin. Nobody had ever really yelled at him though. Even Amy had been calm, and she had the right to yell at him. It had actually been bothering him no one had ever gotten as mad at him as they should have, but he knew Jig would. His shin still hurt. It was bruising too. If it got much worse he'd have to show it to his father. Of course, he'd have to come up with a good lie first. "A girl kicked me" wouldn't sound to good to his dad, not to mention what _Delia_ would say. She would never shut up. Though she would draw it out to the extent that he got beat up by a girl. Little sisters everywhere probably did stuff like that. He had _wanted_ a brother. But _no_, he had to have a _sister_. 

At six Amy stood on the Brown household's porch. She straightened her collar, placed a lock of hair behind her ear, and held her breath. She reached up and pressed the doorbell. She heard the footsteps and watched as the doorknob turned and opened. Dr. Brown greeted her with a smile.

"Hello Amy, come in. Ephram! Amy's here," he said backing away and letting her in. Amy walked into the house and stopped just as Ephram walked out of his room. Ephram stopped when he saw her and just stared at her for a few moments. He blinked the sight of her out of his eyes and led her smiling out of the house. 

Ephram felt out of place as he and Amy walked through the restaurant. It wasn't the fact that Ephram was neither Italian nor Chinese, it was the fact that he was there with another guy's girlfriend. It wasn't exactly a red-letter offense but he still felt a little off. Amy felt a little weird but you couldn't tell it by looking at her. She was just thanking him for asking his dad to help Colin. It was more than a card-thanking event. Besides it was good for her to get out. Though being out with _Ephram_ probably wasn't the best thing.

They both sat down and gave the waiter their orders. Amy from the Italian side and Ephram from the Chinese. She was in the mood for noodles and he was in the mood for rice. It was an odd place, Everwood, where the two moods could be satisfied. They hadn't spoken much, and nothing to each other. It was odder than either of them had suspected. Ephram was a bit more aware of all of the eyes on them then Amy was. He was used to it. Well, Amy was used to being stared at too, but it wasn't this type of stare. She only got that kind of stare nowadays whenever she was with or talking about Ephram. She liked being with him anyway. Maybe public wasn't the best place though. Then again, a private meeting might give everyone the wrong idea, making things even worse. 

"How's your family?" Amy asked him. He nodded at first before answering.

"Good. Delia's class in putting on a play but she hasn't told Dad yet," Ephram said. Amy smiled.

"Why not?" she questioned. Her smile made him smile.

"She's afraid he'll want her to get involved. Or worse yet, she's afraid _he'll_ want to get involved," Ephram said and Amy laughed. 

"But she told you?" 

"Yea, she tells me everything, at least, I think she does," Ephram answered and chuckled slightly. 

"It must be great to have a little sister that looks up to you so," Amy told him smiling. Ephram was smiling until a thought came to his mind.

"I want to try to be nice to Bright," Ephram admitted. Amy's smile slowing faded through shock.

"What?" she asked, completely taken by surprise. Ephram sighed before continuing.

"If I saw Delia hanging around with a guy like me, I'd probably act like an asshole too. His attitude is completely called for considering the situation. And I can't believe I just said that…" he explained to her, a small look of bewilderment in his eyes. Amy smiled sweetly, impressed by his understanding and brotherly watchfulness. 

"Don't. My brother has always acted like an asshole; it's not you. Besides, he doesn't deserve the pains you'd have to take to be nice to him. You know he was even mean to Colin a little after Colin first asked me out," Amy said and immediately regretted it. She had spoken the forbidden name. They both fell uncomfortably silent. 

"Amy? Ephram? What are you two doing here?" a voice asked them as it approached their table. They both looked up and saw Irv looking at them with a smile but still signs of curiosity in his face.

"Irv! Uh, hi. We, uh, we're just eating. Well, waiting to eat. Where is our food? We're just going to eat…" Amy said nearly in a state of panic. Edna and Jig walked up behind Irv. Edna was pleasantly surprised to see them with a slight smile on her face. Jig was mouthing the words "sorry" over and over again to Ephram, who was the only one looking at her. 

"Hey kids, what's going on?" Edna asked them.

"They're waiting to eat," Irv informed her. Edna grinned and glanced from Amy to Ephram. She nodded in some odd way of understanding.

"Don't worry, we won't tell him," she said to Amy, "come on there's a table over there."

Irv and Edna started walking to where Edna had been pointing. Jig was following them when Ephram grabbed her arm and pulled her head close to his.

"What are you doing here?" he asked through his teeth.

"I tried to talk them out of coming but they wanted to show me the restaurant. I'm sorry. _I'm sorry!_" she said before being released and following her great aunt and uncle before being missed. Ephram sighed and turned to Amy, whose eyes were still fixated on her grandparents. From that point on Ephram considered the night ruined. 

"Delia? Delia! Delia are you listening to me?" Mrs. Violet demanded. Delia turned her attention from the colorful and informational display on the wall beside her and turned to face her teacher. Mrs. Violet looked like steam was about to shoot out of her ears. 

"Yes, Mrs. Violet," Delia answered her. It was a lie, but it was an answer.

"Then will you _please_ tell me what role it is you would like to have in _Hansel and Gretel_?" the teacher asked. Delia fell silent. The truth was she didn't want to be in the play at all. Her mom went to all of the other plays she had ever been in; a school play without Mom wasn't any fun. Her dad probably wouldn't be able to come, but Ephram would. But her dad's not being there would only make Ephram upset and they'd yell at each other. Delia hated it when they yelled at each other. Even when her mom was alive they yelled. Her mom would hold her and tell her they only yelled because they were a little different. They were the same though, Delia knew that, that's why they fought. Things that are too a like never get along. 

"Whatever part needs to be filled, I'll take," Delia answered her teacher, hoping it'd be a candy cane role or something. Maybe even off stage work, no lines or singing at all. Mrs. Violet sighed angrily. It was a sound Delia was coming accustomed too. 

"But do you have a _preference_?" the teacher demanded. Delia shook her head. Mrs. Violet sighed again.

"Delia Brown, I'm beginning to think you don't even want to be _in_ this play!" Mrs. Violet told her. Delia just remained quiet and still. 

Ephram and Jig sat across from each other quietly at a table in the library. They didn't sit quietly because it was a library, they sat quietly because dinner last night had been ruined and they both knew it. Ephram didn't blame Jig, he had no reason to, but awkwardness took over them both just the same. Ephram sat reading Cowboy Bebop manga while Jig sat reading a volume of _Batman: No Man's Land_. Soon a clamor hit them both as Wendell flopped down into the chair next to Ephram. The two already there looked up from their books and stared at him. He was looking at Ephram with a silly looking grin on his face, seemingly not noticing Jig's presence at all.

"So how'd the date go?" Wendell asked him. Ephram scoffed and looked back down at his manga, though not intending to read any more. Jig sighed angrily.

"Will you just go away?" she asked Wendell. This brought Wendell's attention to Jig for the first time. His grin vanished from his face and his eyes widened a considerable amount. This not being the angered and annoyed response she had expected, Jig was a little unnerved. 

"You're beautiful…" Wendell said to her. That shoved Jig into a complete stage of shock, and Ephram as well, as his head popped up from the manga to Wendell. Ephram then looked at Jig as if looking for something Wendell had seen but he had missed. He saw nothing but Jig's plain face and tied back pale brown hair. Jig was by no means ugly; she was just plain looking, especially if Amy was standing next to her. Ephram turned back to Wendell, who was still gazing at Jig.

"I was wondering when you'd finally go insane, Wendell…" Ephram told him. 

"Wendell?" Jig asked first looking at Ephram and than back at Wendell, "_this_ is Wendell?"

"Yea," Ephram told her. Jig cringed in angered disgust. 

"Oh, speak again, bright angel!" Wendell said to her. She yelled out in surprise as he leaned forward slightly and stretched a hand to touch her's. She retracted all of her limbs and pushed herself farther away from the table. Wendell stood up to pursue but thankfully the table was there to block his path. Ephram stood too and placed an arm forbidding Wendell from moving. 

"You're a _freak_!" Jig yelled at Wendell before grabbing her comic and living the library. Wendell sighed and turned to Ephram.

"Women…" he said. Ephram sighed and rubbed the space between his eyes. 


	7. actually, there's only one sticker

Edna and Irv thanked Nina as she placed their lunches in front of them. Irv had the macaroni and cheese and Edna had a sloppy joe. Edna lifted the giant and messy sandwich to her mouth but before she could take a bite of it she heard loud coughing coming from behind her. Aggravated she turned around to find out whom the loud, disruptive noise had originated. She saw what she had been a little over half suspecting. She had recognized her son's cough from where he sat at the counter. He coughed again into a white handkerchief. Edna has been noticing that her son's complexion was turning a bit on the pale side in the recent days. As a child he had been prone to coughs, but like his father never thought anything of it until it became serious. That had been odd, considering they were both doctors. She had never known if it had been out of dedication or stupidity. _That_ was a fine line.

Edna placed her sandwich back on her plate and stood up. She walked over to the counter and slumped onto the stool next to her son. He coughed a little into the white handkerchief and upon noticing her, placed it into his pocket.

"Hello Mother," he said with the false enthusiasm she had gotten used to. 

"That's a Hell of a cough you got there, son," she told him, "maybe you should have Doc Brown take a look at it for you."

Dr. Abbott tilted his head and frowned at the idea.

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much…" he told her. She sighed. He never learned, and even if he did his pride would get in the way making what he learned obsolete. 

"If you're going to be your own doctor you have a fool for a patient!" she yelled at him before walking back over to her husband and her sandwich. 

Delia was a gumdrop. Of all the miserable things to be, she was a gumdrop. At least she didn't have any lines. She was supposed to sing a little but that was in a group so she could just fake it and no one would be able to tell. Besides that she would just have to walk around on stage for a few scenes, sway back and forth a little. It was nothing big and that's how she wanted it. She just wished her costume didn't look so ridiculous. She had it better off than Magilla, though. He was an elf. She hadn't remember there being an elf in _Hansel and Gretel_, but he was one. His costume included the classic red and white striped tights and green shoes with the bells on them. Her role depressed her, but his role _infuriated_ him. 

Amy turned to leave the girl's bathroom. As she approached the door it swung open quickly and missed her face by inches. The body rushing into the bathroom made contact with her shoulder but they both remained standing. Once Amy gathered herself she turned around to see Jig pacing back and forth in front of the mirrors. Amy could tell by the way Jig walked and the look on her face, she had not entered under happy conditions. 

"What happened?" Amy asked her knowing Jig wanted to tell someone.

"If I _killed_ him would anyone _miss_ him?" Jig demanded from her. Amy smiled. It wasn't mean spirited to smile; her second cousin's situation was rather funny. This really was one of those "look back on it and laugh," type of situations. 

"What has Wendell done now?" Amy asked her. Jig had complained all weekend of incessant calls and e-mails from Wendell, all declaring his unexpected love for her. Throughout the entire weekend he had sent Jig a total of four dozen roses.

"He's been following me in the hallways _all_ morning. I don't just mean 'following,' I mean '_following_!' It's like he was chemically bonded to me or something! When I tried to run he'd follow me! That is a little freak of a guy, Amy!" Jig told her. 

"I'm sure it'll pass. He's just in awe. You have something he's never seen a girl have before," Amy told her. Jig stared at her a little confused.

"What, a tan?" she asked and Amy laughed a little. 

"No, mystery. You're right; Wendell is a little freak. He's been watching the rest of us since we were in grade school. He knows how, why, and when we do everything! But _you_, he doesn't know," Amy told her. Jig sighed and sat down on the floor, that probably wasn't the smartest thing to do but at that moment she didn't really care.

"I'm really not used to this, Amy. What do you do when there's a guy hopelessly in love with you?" Jig asked her. They both frowned when the question was well thought about. Amy took a few steps closer to her cousin.

"Well, first I suppose I see whether or not I like him back," Amy said. Jig cringed at the idea that she might like Wendell back. That was the thing of nightmares.

"After you give yourself a big 'no,' then what do you do?" Jig asked.

"You find a way to let him down lightly," Amy answered her simply. Jig stood up with a sigh and looked her cousin in the eyes. 

"I don't think 'lightly' will cut it with him," Jig said standing up. She started walking toward the door to the hallway when she stopped.

"You're still at that first part, aren't you?" Jig asked her. Amy was silent a few moments before answering.

"I love Colin," Amy told her. Jig nodded, and left. 

How does a person break just their small right toe? How is that possible? Just the one toe! The rest were fine; it was just the small one of the right foot of Mr. Missfield that Dr. Brown had to set back into place. Mr. Missfield took it like a man too, he didn't even flinch. Then Dr. Brown had to put a cast on it. He figured Mr. Missfield would prefer if he just put a cast on the entire foot, which might not be as embarrassing to the middle aged, burly man. 

After the cast had dried and Mr. Missfield left on his crutches Dr. Brown entered the waiting room with a sigh. Mr. Missfield had been his last patient for the day and it couldn't have come at a better time. If Dr. Brown left now, he'd have just enough time to try that new recipe he had been reading about the night before. It didn't look that hard and the book said it was for ages ten and up. He was sure he could do it. It wasn't brain surgery or anything. He found Edna at her desk laughing to herself as Mr. Missfield hobbled past her. It was a motherly laugh, actually, and she made sure Mr. Missfield heard it. He had pestered her son all through high school. Made his life hell. 

"I'm going to head home, Edna, see you tomorrow," Dr. Brown said hanging up his doctor coat and putting on his warm brown one.

"Hey Doc," Edna said standing up, "I got a question to ask you, about raising kids."

"_You're_ asking _me_?" he said in disbelief but ready to help. She must really need help if he was asking her.

"Yea. There's this boy who has made it quite clear he has an interest in Jig. But he's getting on my _nerves_, what do I do about him?" she asked him. Dr. Brown thought about it for a few moments.

"How does she feel about him?" he asked her.

"Same way as I do…" she replied with a frown but inwardly quite pleased by her grand niece's good sense. 

"I'd let Jig handle him, but I don't know what I'm talking about so I think the best advice I can give is, ask somebody else. Goodnight," Dr. Brown said with a smile, and left the clinic. 

Ephram and Delia sat in the living room watching that night's movie while Dr. Brown was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes. Ephram leaned down to Delia.

"Does your stomach hurt too?" he asked her.

"Yea," she responded. He nodded in understanding and sat back up.

"Okay what are we watching?" Dr. Brown said walking into the room and sitting in a chair.

"The Phantom," Ephram answered him.

"The Phantom? Isn't that a little scary for Delia?" Dr. Brown asked worriedly.

"She likes it."

"I like the bad guy," Delia added.

"And she wonders why we worry about her," Ephram said getting a slight hit in the shoulder from Delia. Dr. Brown leaned down to Delia.

"I like the bad guy too," he told her and she smiled. Ephram rolled his eyes. There came a loud knocking on the front door so Ephram got up to answer it. 

As soon as he opened the door Jig ran in past him, something she's been doing a lot lately. Ephram sighed and closed the door behind her. He turned around to see her pacing back and forth in front of him angrily. 

"What has Wendell done now?" he asked her. 

"He's living on my front porch!" she yelled. Ephram stepped forward and covered her mouth with his hand. In that position he dragged her into his room.

"Hi Jig!" Dr. Brown said on their way there. Jig waved in reply, not being able to speak.

Once inside his room Ephram released her and closed the door. Immediately after her release Jig remained silent, just looking around his room. 

"Nice poster," she said pointing to the poster on his wall.

"What has Wendell done now?" Ephram repeated. Jig's mood went from interest to anger at the mention of the name. 

"He's living on my porch, Ephram! He brought a _sleeping bag_! He has _pillows_!" Jig complained. Ephram lowered his eyebrows in worried surprise. 

"That's really _creepy_, Jig…" he told her. She nodded frantically in agreement. 

"It was better once he stopped singing," Jig said with a sigh and sat down onto Ephram's bed. Ephram tried not to laugh at the idea of Wendell singing. He could tell by the look on Jig's face it was not a laughing situation. 

"How'd you get here?" Ephram decided to ask her instead.

"I snuck out the back. You know we have rose bushes in our backyard…" Jig said picking out a few bits of thorns and leaves from her outer most sweater. 

"So what are you going to do?" he asked her. She sighed.

"Edna and Irv are going to try and get rid of him. They'll call here once they do, is that okay?" she asked him. He nodded. They both fell silent for a few moments.

"Can I laugh now?" Ephram asked her. She nodded so he did. Jig rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile seeing Ephram laugh so hard. 

"He, he _sang_!" Ephram asked her. 

"He sang 'Only You.' Come the second verse Edna was ready to shoot him," Jig answered and Ephram was renewed in his laughter. Now Jig was almost on the brink of laughter, but she cleared her throat to remove the urge.

"No, but seriously, Ephram… I can't go on like this, what the hell am I going to do?" she asked him. Ephram clamed himself and sat down next to her. 

"Okay, um, how do get Wendell off your, well, off your porch… Do we even know _why_ he likes you?" Ephram asked her.

"Amy said it's because he knows everything about all of the other girls. So I have this _mysterious_ thing going against me," Jig explained. 

"Well, the easiest thing would be to just tell him everything about you…"

"That's not easy."

"Right… So, get a boyfriend," Ephram told her simply. Jig laughed in surprise.

"Yea, right. Next idea?"

"Well just tell him you have a boyfriend in LA."

"Oh yea, _that'll work_. Ephram, how did you meet him?" she asked. Ephram frowned. 

"Okay, so he doesn't care about the distant boyfriend…" Ephram said and the two fell silent again.

"Maybe I should just let Edna shoot him."

"Sounds like a plan to me." 


	8. and now for something completely differe...

Dr. Brown walked into the kitchen. It had to be three o'clock in the morning but he was thirsty. He got a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water. The tap water in Everwood tasted better than the tap water in New York City. He walked out into the dinning room and casually looked over into the living room. He was surprised to see Jig asleep on the couch. He supposed Wendell was asleep on Edna and Irv's porch. Unless Edna _did_ shoot him and she was in jail right now, that would be a good reason for Jig to still be here. 

The next time Dr. Brown woke up he walked out of his room to find the three children in the kitchen. Delia and Jig were sitting at the counter while Ephram was cooking something on the stove.

"How can you not love Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?" Jig asked Delia. 

"It gives me nightmares. All of those horrible things that happened to those kids," Delia tried to explain. 

"Well, yea, but that stuff only happened because they were bad kids. Besides, they all turned out okay," Jig told her. Delia looked a little surprised.

"They did?" Delia asked her. Jig nodded. 

"Yea, at the end of the book, when they're in the Glass Elevator, Charlie sees them all again. They look a little weird but they're all safe," Jig explained. Delia looked down at the table.

"Oh, I've never actually read the book," Delia said. Jig gasped in surprise. 

"What do you mean you haven't read the book? Ephram! How could you let her not read the book?" Jig said slapping him when he came with in range. 

"It's not my fault!" Ephram told her placing a dish in front of her and Delia, and than set down one for himself. 

"What else is different in the book?" Delia asked. Jig thought about it for a few moments. 

"Well you know how Veruca left, in the room with all of the geese?" Jig asked. Delia nodded.

"It wasn't geese…" Jig started.

"Squirrels, right?" Dr. Brown asked walking into the kitchen. Jig nodded.

"Good morning, Dad," Delia said. Ephram just nodded to him. 

"Good morning all," Dr. Brown replied walking over and finding breakfast for him still warm in the pan. 

"Why would they change it from squirrels to geese?" Delia asked.

"Well four geese and a few golden eggs are cheaper than a hundred squirrels and a few thousand walnuts," Jig explained. Delia smiled imagining the sight. 

"A hundred squirrels would be really cool," Delia said. Jig nodded. They heard a bus horn coming from outside so Delia hopped off of her stool, grabbed her stuff, and said good bye to everyone.

"I'll come with you, I need to talk to Irv!" Jig said running after her. Dr. Brown placed Delia's dish by the sink and took her place. 

"You had a girl spend the night…" Dr. Brown said. Ephram sighed angrily.

"She slept on the couch…" he told him.

"I know. Any news from the Harper's?" Dr. Brown asked him. Ephram shook his head. 

"None. That is, until Jig gets back," Ephram said. Immediately following his last word Jig walked in. She didn't look happy in the least.

"What news?" Dr. Brown asked her.

"He's still there! That little freak is still on my front porch!" she complained. 

"Wow, now that's persistence," Dr. Brown said.

"Well if he thinks you're still at home he probably won't come to school. Come on or we'll be late," Ephram said placing his dish and hers by the sink and walking around to her. 

"I'll give you guys a lift," Dr. Brown said.

"That'd be great!" Jig said.

"No thanks," Ephram said grabbing her arm and walking toward the door.

"Oh but it's _cold_…" Jig told him.

"Let's go," Ephram said opening the door. 

Delia waited until everyone else left the bus before she stood up and walked over to Irv. He greeted her with a smile and a nod of the head. She greeted him with an obviously problem ridden face. 

"Have you ever been in a play, Mr. Harper?" Delia asked him. He let out a soft chuckle in gentle understanding. 

"Nervous about _Hansel and Gretel_?" he asked her.

"I'm a gumdrop…" she admitted. Irv leaned in close to her.

"I was a bunny…" he told her. She smiled and walked off the bus. The idea of Irv in a bunny suit made her smile. Of course the smile faded the moment she walked through the school doors. 

Ephram walked into his History class and sat down in front of Jig. Today she didn't even have her head down on her desk, she was up and alert, looking for any sign that Wendell might be there. 

"Ryoko or Ayeka?" he asked her, still facing forward.

"What?" she asked as if she had just noticed he was there. A little surprised he turned around to face her. 

"For Tenchi, Ryoko or Ayeka?" he repeated. 

"Oh," she said, still kind of out of it, "either, er, neither. Kiyone."

"Kiyone? Are you kidding?" he asked her. She shook her head. 

"No, that's how it will be," she replied to his surprise.

"What!"

"Didn't you hear that rumor? Yea, there's a rumor that they're making another Tenchi series, and it'll be Tenchi and Kiyone," Jig told him. Ephram's eyes widened in surprise. 

"No! When does that come out?"

"I, I don't remember, know, I don't know," she said kind of confused. Ephram narrowed his eyes in worry.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Yea, it's just, this whole Wendell thing, it's got me a little out of it. I'm fine," she told him. He nodded and turned back around.

Amy walked into Dr. Brown's medical clinic. She had to be careful as she entered, in case her father happened to peer out of his window and see her. "Conspiring with the enemy," as her grandmother would say. Actually, it was her grandmother she was here to see. Amy's mom was still at meetings and she needed some womanly advice. It was late and as Amy walked in she saw Dr. Brown ushering his final patient into his office. Amy walked over to where her grandmother was putting things away.

"Hi Grandma," Amy said. Edna turned to her and smiled.

"Hey kid. What can I do for you?" Edna asked her. Amy glanced toward Dr. Brown's office door to make sure it was closed before she sat down and started talking. 

"How long have you and Irv known each other?" Amy asked her. Edna paused for a few moments.

"About sixty years, maybe. When went to school together. Oh my, that was long ago…" Edna responded with a sigh.

"So you knew Irv before you knew Grandpa?" 

"Oh no, just as long. We all grew up here. Of course your father was a few years before Irv and I in school," Edna said with a faint smile, remembering the long lost times.

"How'd you like Irv back then?"

"He was a sweet guy, and a hell of a runner. Damn I'll never forget those shorts…" Edna said now with a slight chuckle.

"So you kinda had a crush on Irv, back then?" Amy asked.

"I guess so. What are you getting at?" Edna asked realizing most conversations have a point.

"How'd you chose between Grandpa and Irv?" Amy asked her. Edna sighed and ran a hand through her hair. 

"I don't know. I guess I didn't have to really. I ended up with them both."

"After Grandpa died…" Amy said sadly. They both fell silent. 

"It's a gut feeling, kid. You'll know who you're supposed to love if not all, than a majority of your life," Edna told her. Amy nodded, thanked her, and left. Edna sighed sadly. She hoped her granddaughter was as tough and she thought she was.

"What type of meat is this Dad? I mean, it _is_ meat, right?" Delia asked him. Dr. Brown smiled at her falsely. He turned to Ephram.

"This is your influence," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram shook his head.

"Oh no, that is this stuff's fault," Ephram said holding up a forkful of the black stuff on his plate.

"My tongue hurts," Delia said.

"I happen to like it. It has a very, distinct, flavor," Dr. Brown said to his son. Ephram laughed slightly. The phone rang and Dr. Brown stood up to answer it. 

"Hello? Whoa, hey, slow down, what happened? Yea, yes. Okay, no. I'm on my way. Just stay calm. I'm coming, _I'm coming_," Dr. Brown said and placed the phone back in the cradle. He rushed off into another room and grabbed his coat and satchel. Ephram sighed.

"Who is it this time? Some little boy? A baby? An elderly woman?" Ephram asked him. Dr. Brown stopped and stared at him.

"It's Jig."


	9. joeconoobefey medeca ootom!

Nina had been home so Delia had gone over there. Dr. Brown and Ephram had gotten to the Harper household within five minutes. Irv met them at the door and ushered them in. Being in too bit of a hurry to notice any of the interesting elements of the rather large house Dr. Brown and Ephram walked immediately to where Edna was kneeling on the ground at the bottom of the stairs. When they got closer they both saw that she was kneeling over Jig who was laying still on the floor. Ephram started running over to them and Dr. Brown matched his pace. Dr. Brown got to Jig first and told Ephram to stay a few feet back. Ephram didn't like the command but he followed it. Irv walked up beside him and placed a hand of Ephram's shoulder. 

"I asked her to get me something from the upstairs closet, on her way down she just, collapsed," Edna told Dr. Brown. He nodded. Dr. Brown gently turned Jig onto her back. She had a small cut on her forehead but didn't look like she had felt it. He looked at her eyes first, then her mouth, ears, and nose. He listened to her heart and then placed the back of his hand on her forehead. He reached into his satchel and pulled out some ammonium carbonate. He placed it in front of Jig's nose and she awoke with a gasp. Edna squeezed her hand a little tighter and Ephram took a step closer to get a better look at her. Dr. Brown smiled as she looked up at him with confused eyes. 

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" he asked her. Jig blinked a little and looked around her.

"My right arm, a little," she answered weakly. Dr. Brown looked her arm over to discover a few minor bruises. Nothing serious. He then turned to Irv.

"Let's get her to her room," Dr. Brown said. Irv walked over and together they got Jig to her feet, each with an arm under her shoulders. Edna led them down a hallway and into a room. Slowly they got there and placed Jig on her bed. Dr. Brown sat at her side and took her temperature. He looked at the results and frowned. 

"What is it Doc?" Irv asked her. Dr. Brown turned to Jig to tell her what was wrong with her, she was conscious but looked too out of it to understand what he'd tell her. So he turned to Edna and Irv.

"Jig is suffering from a very high fever. It's not dangerously high and not hospital worthy, but I suggest keeping her home for at least a week. Give her plenty of liquids, vitamin C, the normal stuff. If her temperature gets any worse or if she faints again, don't hesitate to call me. Keep her away from stairs and probably out of the kitchen would be a good move. Mostly just keep her in bed," Dr. Brown told them. Edna nodded.

"I remember that much," Edna said nodding. Dr. Brown smiled at Jig, stood up, and walked out of the room. Irv and Edna followed him. 

Edna sighed and fell onto the couch. Irv sat down next to her and rubbed her shoulders with his hands. Dr. Brown sat down across from them. Edna was rubbing her face with her hand before she calmed down. 

"It's been so long since I've been around kids for extended lengths of time… I only see kids when they're sick! Not when they're _getting_ sick!" Edna said distressfully. 

"It's not your fault, Edna," Irv told her.

"I should have seen her getting sick!"

"I don't think _she_ knew, Edna," Dr. Brown told her, "I recieved Jig's files from her doctor in Los Angeles yesterday. With the exception of a few breaks and scrapes, he never saw her. I don't think Jig's ever been sick before. Her immune system isn't used to being attacked like this, not to mention the cold."

"I know! That's why I should have been on the look out! I was a nurse for-" Edna yelled more at herself than anyone else. Jig had been there two weeks and has already fallen down a flight of stairs. 

"You treated _battle injuries_ Edna, a fever is different," Irv reminded her. Edna sighed angrily again and looked at Dr. Brown.

"I guess I won't be into work tomorrow…" Edna told him and he nodded in understanding.

"_Oh no_! We _all_ know Dr. Brown can't survive there without you Edna, and it'd be good for you to get your mind off of her for awhile. I'll stay home with her, George can drive the bus just as well as I can," Irv told her. Edna nodded and smiled.

"Maybe you're right," she told him.

"Maybe, but not about that 'I can't survive without her' bit," Dr. Brown said and they all chuckled slightly. 

Jig had rolled over onto her side and was already half asleep. Ephram watched her for a few moments making sure it was a good sleep and not fainting again. He walked around her room, looking at everything. On her dresser were the average mirror, combs, brushes, plus a picture of a pretty looking woman in a Popsicle stick frame. On another dresser she had more curious items. There were two American flags folded into triangles and set in wooden boxes with one side as a piece of glass. By the wall next to that dresser, was a banjo propped up on a stand. He plucked a string of it gently and smiled at the sound it made. He then turned around and looked at the opposite wall. He jumped a little in surprise. The entire wall was covered in pictures of people smiling. Smiling enough to show their teeth. It was a collage of cut of pictures from photographs, magazines, postcards. He walked toward it and looked at them all. They weren't just people smiling, they were men smiling. Each picture was of a man smiling wide enough to show his teeth.

"Creepy, huh?" he heard Jig ask him weakly. He turned around to see her hugging her pillow and looking at him, smiling wearily. He took a few steps closer to her bed.

"Why would you do that?" he asked her. She reached her arm over to the table by her bed. He got to the picture frame before her arm did. The picture frame was eight by ten but the picture in it looked like it'd fit in a wallet. The picture was of a handsome man, dressed in an army uniform, smiling wide enough to show his teeth.

"That's him, that's my dad. It's the only picture I have of him," she explained. He narrowed his eyes and looked behind him back at the wall, and then back at her. 

"Ever since I was little, men who showed their teeth when they smiled made me feel safer. It comforted me," she said half asleep. Ephram set the picture frame back down, making sure the picture was facing her bed. He opened his mouth to say something to her but she was already asleep. He smiled and sat down on the floor, and leaned himself against the bed.

"Ephram?" Dr. Brown asked walking into Jig's room. He saw Jig fast asleep and saw what looked like the top of Ephram's head on the other side of the bed. Silently he walked around and saw his son propped up against the side of the bed. Ephram's head was bent over and his eyes were closed. He was asleep. Dr. Brown smiled and walked back toward the door. He flipped the lights off and closed the door. 

Dr. Brown carried Delia into the house with a little difficulty. Closing the door behind him was easier than opening it. It was eleven o'clock so his nine-year-old daughter was asleep in his arms. At the sound of the door closing she stirred a little. 

"Where's Ephram?" she asked her dad from that land just between awareness and unawareness. 

"He's taking care of Jig," Dr. Brown answered her.

"How's Jig?" she asked as he carried her into her room.

"She's going to be fine," he said setting her down on her bed. She was asleep as soon as her head touched the pillows. On the table by her bed he found a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. He smiled and turned off the lights on another sleeping child.

It was pitch black outside the next time Ephram woke up. There was a thin stream of light flowing into the room though so he turned around and saw Irv peeking in. Irv saw that Ephram was awake and motioned him to come over to the door. Ephram got up quietly so not to awake the sleeping Jig and walked over to Irv. On his way to the door Ephram glanced at the clock. It was nine o'clock in the morning; there was no way it should be so dark outside. 

"There's a big snow storm coming and I have to go into town and get some things. Edna's already gone to work so can you watch Jig until I get back? I shouldn't be more than an hour," Irv asked him in a whisper. Ephram nodded and Irv smiled pleased, and left. 

Amy sat on her living room couch, reading. Normally there wasn't anything to draw her attention away from Jane Austen but today there was something to worry her. Due to the on coming snowstorm all of the schools had been closed. She was happy for the day off but when she called Ephram's house to talk about it this morning, there was no answer. Dr. Brown might have gone into work but Ephram and Delia should be home. She called three times and there was never an answer. She knew she probably had no reason to be worried, but it still nagged at her a little. 

Needing a little reassuring Amy called her grandmother's to see if she was home or not. Irv would be home, that was for certain. Amy dialed and waited a few rings before someone picked up.

"Hi, Grandma?" she asked with a smile. The smile didn't matter to whoever was on the other end, but she had been trained to smile when she greeted a person. It was a stupid little thing she picked up meeting so many people as the town doctor's daughter. She didn't think she could say 'hello' and frown if she wanted to. 

"Amy?" was the reply from a rather non-Edna, non-Irv voice. Amy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ephram? Wha- what are you doing at my grandmother's?" she asked, making sure she had dialed the right number.

"I'm taking care of Jig," he told her getting over the shock of talking to _her_ on the phone at such an unexpected time and place.

"What do you mean 'taking care of Jig?' Is she alright?" Amy asked worriedly.

"She's just got a fever. I'm here making sure she doesn't attempt to master the stairs again," he explained and paused, "she'll be fine Amy, don't worry."

Amy smiled not so much at the news as the tone in which Ephram reassured her. She needed so much reassuring nowadays it was ridiculous. But Ephram had a good way of doing it. 

"Tell her I called, okay?"

"Uh, yea, sure, when she wakes up…"

"Hey where's Irv?" Amy asked him.

"He got snowed in at Milton's Hardware Store about an hour ago. Jig is going to scream the moment she looks outside, I know it," Ephram said and smiled when he heard Amy's laughter. 

"Grandma's at the clinic already?"

"Yea, her and my dad. Delia's staying with a neighbor."

"Nina right?"

"Uh, yea."

"Yea. My dad didn't go into work today, neither did my mom."

"Hm, the entire family locked up together for a couple of days. Good luck," he wished her. She sighed.

"I know, it's going to be _Hell._"

"Hey, just remember, be strong. Colin would want that," Ephram told her. They both fell kind of silent after that. Ephram was wondering why he had even said. He guessed he figured that the only way to make the impact of the importance of it, was to give it Colin's backing. He heard the teakettle whistling and said goodbye to Amy to answer the call. Amy set the phone back in the cradle and went back to reading Jane Austen. Her main worries were gone for the moment. He was safe. 


	10. the sticker is a golden star

Dr. Brown stared out of the clinic's window at the feet of snow piling up on the streets. He sighed and turned around to see Edna sitting behind the desk, filling out some odd forms. She always pushed the forms off to the last possible moment or until boredom overcame her. It was already noon and the snow didn't show any sign of lifting. They were going to be there for awhile. Luckily they actually didn't had a single patient that day. They had both arrived to open up just before the snow hit. He could have stayed at home and saved Nina the trouble of watching Delia. More so, Edna could have stayed home and taken care of Jig instead of having Ephram do it. Ephram, by the way, had already called them six times asking for their help. 

Ephram was in the living flipping through a picture book he found. It wasn't of Amy, as he had kind of hoped, but it was still interesting. All of the pictures where brown and all of the people in them were dressed from the 1800's. Jig would hate this album. There wasn't one smile. As he turned the page he heard screaming. He placed the album on the table and ran over to Jig's room. When he opened the door he found Jig screaming in her bed, asleep. He rushed over to her and tried to wake her up. He shook her gently at first but her nightmare was too much. Then, suddenly, she fell quiet and still. He tried shaking her again but she didn't wake up.

"Jig!" he yelled but there was nothing. Ephram paused for a moment, trying to think about what to do. He removed Jig's blanket and picked her up. He carried her out of her room and into the bathroom. He carried her into the shower, turned himself around, and turned the shower on. The water hit the back of his head before it hit her face. After a few moments of them both getting drenched Jig began to stir. He smiled when she opened her eyes and looked at him, raising her hand to protect her eyes from the water. 

"Ephram?" she asked him confused as she regained her stance, giving a relief to Ephram both mentally and physically. She then began to cry. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him and cried onto his shoulder.

"Whoa, hey, hey what's wrong?" he asked her.

"I hate it here! I hate it here _so_ much! I just want to go home! I hate the cold! I hate this house! I hate being sick! I just want to go home!" she cried. Now he wrapped his arms around her. He knew that feeling. It took a deer to get him out of it. Jig needed a deer. 

"You _are_ home, Jig," he told her. She tightened her grip on him. After a few moments she relaxed her hold. 

"Your neck is purple," she told him and he laughed. 

"So this is what you look like with brown hair," Jig said. She was wrapped in several blankets on the couch by the fireplace. The fire was blazing and Jig was enjoying the heat immensely. Ephram walked around the couch and sat next to her, wearing a bathrobe. He handed her the mug of tea he was carrying and chuckled slightly. 

"Weird huh?" he asked her. 

"It's nice. It gives your face more color. You don't look like you're about to throw up or, _cry_," she told him. 

"Really?" he asked her. She nodded. 

"You see with purple hair it brings out all of the blues and purples of your face, making you look pale. But brown hair brings out the reds and oranges, giving you color."

"That's just the fire."

"How do I look?"

"You look like Hell, Jig," he confessed. 

"See, it's not the fire. This is good tea, what kind is it?" she asked him.

"Oh, I don't know. I just added a lot of sugar, figured you'd like it," he answered simply. Jig smiled and nodded and the two fell silent for a few moments. 

"So have you talked to Amy today?" she asked him. He was a little surprised, but was also suspecting the question a little.

"Yea, this morning."

"How'd it go?"

"Ended when I mentioned Colin," he told her. She sighed. 

"It sucks, doesn't it? Love? I don't understand this great attraction people have toward it. I've never seen anything good come out of it," Jig said and took a sip from her mug. 

"They why are you so bent on getting Amy and I together?" Ephram asked her. Jig turned to him and smiled.

"Because I _want_ to see something good come out of it."

"Amy! Phone!" Bright yelled upstairs. He heard Amy rush down the stairs and gave her the phone when she reached it. She covered the mouthpiece with her hand and watched him walk away until she was sure he was out of hearing range. 

"Hello?" she asked into it.

"Hello, Amy Abbott?" a girl asked her. Amy paused. It wasn't a voice she knew.

"Uh, yea, who's this?"

"Hi, I'm Desi Quincampoix, I'm a reporter for our school newspaper," she introduced herself. Amy sighed.

"Yea, hi Desi. What can I do for you?" she asked already knowing. Jig had warned Amy about her. 

"After talking to several, not to be named, sources, I've come across the fact that you and Ephram Brown have been having a relationship. May I question you on this?" Desi asked her. Amy frowned.

"We're _friends_, and no, you can't," Amy said and placed the phone back in the cradle. She sighed and walked up to her room. 

Nina walked into her living room holding a plate of cookies. Her son was out playing in the snow, digging tunnels she hoped he could navigate successfully. Delia had been quiet for hours, sitting on a chair in the living room reading. 

"Sugar break?" Nina asked Delia placing the plate of cookies on the table in front of her. Delia looked up from her book and smiled when she saw the sugar cookies on the plate before her. She leaned forward and took one. She took a bite of one and smiled at Nina.

"How'd you get so good at baking cookies?" Delia asked her.

"My mom taught me. She always wanted to start her own bakery but never got the chance," Nina told her. 

"I bet you had cookies in your lunch _every _day," Delia said smiling at the thought. 

"My mom baked a fresh batch every night. Oh, the house _always_ smelled liked cookies. My friends would come over just to spend time in the smell," Nina said.

"You take after her," Delia told her. Nina smiled. 

"Yea? Really, you don't say? Sure, of course! Does it come in any other colors, I don't like blue. My box is red. Well, see what you can do. No, we're fine here. You? Good. Hey, don't drink Milton's coffee, it'll kill ya. Okay, bye dear," Edna said and hung up the phone. She sighed and turned to look at Dr. Brown, who was sitting at the opposite side of a chessboard. 

"You're move," he told her. 

"Yea, sorry about that," she told him and looked over the board. She picked up one piece and moved it.

"Hm, look at that," she said with a grin she was pretending to hide.

"Checkmate?" Dr. Brown said looking over the board. 

"Sorry Doc," Edna apologized standing up and walking away. Dr. Brown sighed and held his face in his hands. 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ephram asked. Jig nodded as she stood in front of the window. Ephram sighed and pulled open the curtain. It took a few moments for the both of them to get accustomed to the bright light, but when they did Jig took a few steps closer to get a better view. Actually she took a few steps closer to see if there was anything to see but snow. There wasn't. 

"Ephram I don't see anything…" she told him.

"I know…" he said not looking at her. Her eyes widened in surprise. Quickly she let out a small whine and closed the curtains. She turned around to look at Ephram.

"I wasn't ready for that…"

"I didn't think you were," Ephram told her. Jig turned her back to the window and walked back over to the warmth of the fire.

"I hate snow. I hate the cold. I've never been sick before and now I'm sweating my ass off with a fever…" Jig complained. 

"How _are_ you feeling?" 

"Tired," she confessed and slumped down on the couch. 

"So go to bed."

"And have another nightmare? No thank you."

"Than stay up forever. Be one of those freaky people who never blink," he said and she laughed.

"In LA, we lived across the hall from this music teacher. He had every instrument imaginable in his apartment. He'd play them all the time too, but nobody minded because he was so _good_. Anyway, every night at my bedtime he'd play the piano for an hour. It always helped me fall asleep," Jig said with a fond smile. 

"Did he teach you to play the banjo?" Ephram asked her, ignoring the fact that she just told him how to get her to sleep. He had noted the piano in the corner of the room several times. Jig laughed.

"Yea, the banjo. And the oboe, the trumpet, the saxophone, the violin, the cello, the guitar, the bass, the flute, and drums," she told him counting them with her fingers. Ephram's eyes widened in surprise as he sat on the chair across from her.

"You're kidding…" Ephram said. She shook her head.

"No. He taught me a new instrument every year."

"Didn't you like, play outside or anything?"

"There's a rule you have to know if you want to grow up in LA. If you spend too much time outside, you _die_," Jig told him. Ephram chuckled and Jig smiled.

"I need a picture of you for my wall. I'd have one by now but you never really smile," Jig told him.

"That's not true," Ephram said shaking his head.

"Yes it is. The only time you get close to really smiling is when you're with Amy. And then something always comes up to ruin it," Jig told him. Ephram scratched the nape of his neck. 

"If I play the piano will you go to sleep?" he asked her. She nodded and raced off to her bedroom as he walked over to the piano. 


	11. i got it from my friend

Ephram opened up the dryer door and pulled his clothes out. He held them to his face to enjoy the warmth. It was one of many simple pleasures he enjoyed. He removed the bathrobe, which had been giving him a weird feeling ever since he saw the name 'Harold' on the tag.

"Nice shorts," he heard Jig say. He turned and saw her standing in the doorway.

"I thought you were asleep," he said grabbing the bathrobe and putting it back on.

"I'm too hot," she said wiping her hand across her forehead, removing some of the sweat.

"So, what? You want to go outside?" he asked her. She frowned.

"No. But I was tempted to open a window."

"Well, go back to your room, I'll bring you some ice after I've changed."

"Why are you taking care of me like this, Ephram?" she asked him smiling. 

"Because I'm the only one who can," he answered simply. She nodded, satisfied, and walked away toward her room. 

Jane Austen always knew how to finish a book. It was always the perfect romantic ending. Amy wished that life really was like how Jane Austen wrote it. Good and bad always got what they reserved, and there was always a witty remark ready when the situation called for it. The part Amy really enjoyed though, was the fact that true love always came out on top. If the heroine had any decision to make between guys, something would happen to make her choice so completely easy. Then again, in Jane Austen, the reader always knew who the girl was supposed to go for. Amy needed an outside party. No, no she didn't. She had to decide this for herself. She loved Colin, loved him deeply. But there was something about Ephram. Amy had no idea what it was exactly, but it was _something_. He was different, and unknown, and, _mysterious_. Dammit. Desi was right. Ephram was mysterious. But whether it was article worthy or not Amy didn't know.

Desi had picked up a lot of information here and there about Ephram Brown, or really, Dr. Andrew Brown. Getting an article about the father by pretending to do one about the son. It was sneaky, underhanded; it was just like something a politician would do. She couldn't take credit for it though; it was her dad's idea. She wanted to write an article on Dr. Brown unlike any other reporter had done before. Her dad suggested getting information on him by getting to the son. Her father was smart like that. Well he'd have to be, he was the mayor of Everwood, after all. The only problem was, she was having trouble getting to the son. His father seemed open to the press, why wasn't the son? Ephram probably wasn't used to it. Maybe, she'd have a better chance of getting to him if she didn't approach him as a reporter, but as a friend. It seemed to work for Amy Abbott. One way or another, Desi was going to get her article. 

Nina looked over and saw Delia asleep on the couch. Sam was already in bed, tired from his day of tunnel shoveling. Nina and Delia had stayed up to watch Harriet the Spy, but only Nina got to watch all of it. Nina got up and covered Delia with a blanket and placed another one at her feet in case she got cold during the night. The phone rang and Nina answered it before it rang twice.

"Hello?" she asked in a whisper, not wanting to wake Delia up.

"Hi, Nina?" Dr. Brown asked her.

"Oh hi Andy," Nina said, still in a whisper. 

"How's Delia?"

"She just fell asleep."

"Oh. How was she, didn't give you too much trouble?"

"You know perfectly well she was wonderful. You raised her well."

"I'd like to, but I can't take the credit. It was all her mother's doing," Dr. Brown told her. Nina smiled. She hoped her husband missed her as much as Dr. Brown missed his wife. 

"I don't know, I see a little bit of you in her."

"What, does she snore?" he asked her. Nina laughed a little. 

"No, but she's very self sacrificing."

"What do you mean?"

"She's spent the entire day reading, trying not to be of any inconvenience to me. Except at supper, she made a lot of noise at supper. I think she really enjoyed it."

"Yes well, it's been a while since she's had home cooked food."

"Don't you cook at home?"

"Yes, but I don't think her or Ephram would consider that _food_," Dr. Brown told her. Nina laughed again.

"The weather report says the snow might be letting up tonight, so maybe Quincampoix will have the roads cleared by, Saturday," she said and he laughed.

"Three days, I don't think Edna and I can stand being trapped here for that long."

"What about Ephram? Suppose, what was it, Jig, suppose her fever gets worse."

"I just got off the phone with him. He says she's still overheated and fainted that one time this morning, but besides that she seems to be doing fine."

"I'm glad. I'm going to go to bed now, I'll have Delia call you in the morning, okay?"

"Okay, I'm not going anywhere."

"Goodnight, Nina."

"Goodnight Andy." 

"Which shelf?" Ephram yelled as he searched the hall closet. Jig was having trouble sleeping on the sheets she had so they were going to change them. Of course to do that they needed to find replacement sheets first.

"The second from the top. Here, I'll help," Jig said walking over to him, one hand dragging on the hallway wall to help her balance. He turned to her.

"No, get back to bed," he commanded. Jig frowned. 

"Ephram, I'm a person, not a puppy."

"You're right, a puppy would listen to me," he grumbled. Ephram found the sheets and together they walked back to Jig's room. She had already removed the old ones and together they put the new ones on. Jig threw the pillows back on the bed. Ephram took the down quilt she had no use for and placed it on the floor next to her bed and folded it in half. He then placed a pillow at the end of it toward the wall. 

"You can sleep in one of the guest rooms, Ephram," Jig told him. He shook his head.

"If you need help I want to be near."

"Yea but on the floor directly next to my bed?" she asked. He glared at her.

"Jig, a little word of advice. When a Brown makes up their mind that they're going to do something, don't protest, just go along for the ride…" Ephram told her and then paused, "oh my god, I sound like my father!"

Jig laughed and Ephram had his mouth gapped open in frightened shock. Ephram sat down on his makeshift bed while Jig crawled up onto her bed. 

"It was inevitable, you knew that, right?" she asked, looking over the side of her bed at him. He nodded.

"I knew, I guess. I was just hoping the fact that he was never around would somehow, I don't know, make it _not_ happen!" Ephram confessed. Jig laughed slightly.

"There are worse people you could be, Ephram."

"Who?"

"_My_ family."

"Your family is _great_ Jig, except maybe Bright…"

"Edna is great, the Abbott's are great, but I have family besides them."

"And how are they so bad?" Ephram asked. Jig fell silent for a few moments.

"When I was five years old my mom's parents kicked her out of the family. Her and me, actually. They 'wiped their hands of us.' We no longer existed to the family. Except Edna, Edna was always there for us," Jig explained.

"Why would they do that?" Ephram asked her. Jig fell silent again and leaned back over so she was looking up at the ceiling. 

"Goodnight Ephram Brown," she said as she turned the light off. Ephram frowned.

"Goodnight, Jig."

A cup of coffee and a single stale doughnut was not Dr. Brown's idea of a nutritious breakfast. He felt himself yearning for Ephram's scrambled eggs. Ephram made them like Julia had. He even served them the same way. It surprised Dr. Brown how much Ephram resembled his mother. Of course Julia didn't yell so much or _hate_ so much as Ephram did, but there were similarities. It was natural that there would be, of course. Dr. Brown spent so much time at the office Julia raised the children almost single handedly. And he'd be damned if she didn't do a great job. He missed her so much. He didn't miss just what she did for their _children_, but what she did for _him_. Julia changed his life. She brought him out of every possible slum he could ever go into. She was his guiding star, as silly as that sounds. He was lost without her. The kids probably were too.

"Doc!" Edna yelled. Dr. Brown jumped and turned to look at her. 

"It stopped snowing."

Amy looked out the window and smiled. It would take another day for Everwood to be dug out, but with the snow stopping, at least they were on their way to recovery. Two days locked up with her parents and Bright; not even Jane Austen could save her from the throbbing ache in her head. The sooner she could get out of the house the better. She had talked to lots of people by phone, but she still missed her friends. She missed seeing him, _them!_ She missed seeing _them_.

"I want you to play something for me," Jig told Ephram from where she sat on the couch. He had just handed her a mug of hot chocolate and sighed as he looked behind him at the piano that Jig was looking at. 

"I'm a person, not a jukebox," he told her. She smirked.

"You're right, I jukebox would play for me," she said. He frowned at her as he sat on the couch. 

"I'm not playing."

"Amy said you wrote her a song, I want to hear it," Jig told him. 

"That's for Amy," he told her gruffly. She smiled, which was odd for the way he responded to her. She nodded in understanding. 

"I hope you get her, Ephram, if you really love her," she said sweetly. Ephram looked at her surprised. 

"I hope so too. We'll talk about that 'if' later…"  



	12. okay, okay, i stole it from my friend

If Desi was going to become friends with Ephram Brown, she needed to learn about anime. Not just one anime, but _all_ of them. Comics too. As of this point she only knew of one person in Everwood, besides Ephram Brown that is, who knew a lot about that sort of thing. Making friends with Jig would probably help Desi in a number of ways, actually. Not only would it help her get information about anime to get close to Ephram, but being the friend of a friend... Well, growing up in politics Desi knew the importance of a friend of a friend. This article was going to help Desi go places, she could feel it. The article about Dr. Brown in _Time Magazine _was good, but her's would be better. Her angle needed a little improving but she had time. Who knows, maybe being friends with Ephram Brown for a while would give her an angle better than anything she could have imagined. 

Desi dialed the number for the Harper household and waited until the fourth ring for it to be answered.

"Hello, may I please speak to Jig? I'm one of her friends," she said going to sit down in her chair.

"I'm her only friend," the monophonic male voice responded. Hearing that Desi missed the chair completely and landed right on the ground next to it.

"Ephram!" she cried in surprise. Why in the world would _he_ be there? She had dialed the right number, she was sure of it. 

"Who is this?" he asked her.

"Uh, hi! This is Desi Quincampoix, I want to speak to Jig," she said. There was a pause on the other end.

"Look if you want to talk to me, talk to me, leave my friends out of it," he told her.

"No wait! I have a question to ask her, about anime!" Desi said. There was another pause. 

"What question?" he asked her doubtfully. Desi reached up and picked up a few sheets she had printed up if a case such as this arose.

"Uh, um, on whom she thinks Ranma should marry," she said, figuring the best way to get on his immediate good side was to mention the show he seemed most infatuated with. Ephram paused again. Desi had to smile. He was beginning to question in his mind what to think about her. His thoughts had no doubt been irate, until _now_.

"She's asleep."

"Asleep? It's three o'clock in the afternoon," Desi questioned looking at her watch to make sure she had the time correct. 

"She's sick," he said to her surprise. 

"She is? Well, uh, I'll call back later then. I hope she gets better. Goodbye," Desi said and was about to hang up.

"Akane," Ephram told her.

"What?" Desi asked, confused. 

"Ranma should marry Akane," Ephram told her. Desi smiled.

"Okay, bye," she said and hung up. That went better than she could have imagined. 

"Who was on the phone?" Jig asked Ephram walking out of her room as he hung up. Jig had just woken up and so was a little woozy. 

"Desi Quincampoix," he told her. Jig stopped in her tracks. 

"That's not funny," she told him. He nodded in agreement.

"She, uh, she wanted to talk to you."

"About you though, right?" Jig asked continuing her trip to the couch. 

"About Ranma…" he told her not quite believing it himself. Jig laughed in surprise, not quite deciding how else to respond. 

"Anime? Oh I'm sure. What time is it?" she asked him.

"Three," he responded not having to look at any clock.

"I was asleep four hours?" Jig asked not quite believing it. Ephram nodded. 

"How do you feel?" he asked her. 

"Better than I did yesterday morning. You work miracles, Ephram Brown," she told him smiling.

"Must run in the family. Hey, last week, did you tell me that Desi thought I was hot?" Ephram asked her. Jig looked at him questionably. 

"You react to that _now_?" she asked him. He shrugged.

"I just, no, forget I mentioned it," he said and walked toward the kitchen. Jig shook her head, sighed, and leaned her head against the back of the couch. 

"She said 'hot' specifically?" Ephram asked walking back over to her. Jig picked up a pillow and threw it at him. 

"Right," he said and walked back out of the room. 

"Okay, do you have a first aid kit in the house? First clean the wound and than wrap it firmly. Now don't wrap it too tightly but don't let it hang loose. You don't have any wrap…hm…" Dr. Brown said into the phone. Edna had been watching him but at this point sighed and turned around to watch the TV. Mayor Quincampoix was on the news telling everyone how the street cleaning was going. It 'might take them at the most one more day before they can allow civilian road travel.' Edna grumbled a few swear words to herself and turned the TV off. 

"Bad news, I take it?" Dr. Brown asked her. Edna sighed again.

"Looks like it'll be another day, Doc," Edna told him. Dr. Brown nodded.

"I better call Ephram," Dr. Brown said picking up the phone and dialing. After a few moments he put the phone back in the cradle. He turned to Edna, a little worry in his eyes.

"The line was busy," he said. 

"They're teenagers Doc, they do nothing but talk on the phone," Edna told him. Dr. Brown shook his head.

"No, Ephram never talks on the phone, except to Jig," Dr. Brown told her. Edna shrugged. 

"Relax, there's nothing to worry about," Edna reassured him. Dr. Brown scratched his beard worriedly for awhile, and then walked out of the room. 

"She- she's fine! Really! Yes! No! I'm not lying! I'm hanging up now! Now! Goodbye! Yes! Bye!" Ephram yelled into the phone as he hung it on the cradle. He sighed angrily and turned to look at the door to Jig's room. She was in there asleep and he was out here yelling at Wendell who was growing more on his nerves every day. It didn't bother Ephram so much when Wendell bothered him, but when he bothered Jig. No wonder she hated it here. The phone rang again and Ephram answered it expecting Wendell again. Thankfully he was wrong. It was Amy. He had never been so pleased to be wrong. 

"Hi Ham. Did you hear? Another day trapped, can you believe it?" Amy asked him. He smiled at the sound of her voice.

"Uh, yea. Sounds like fun…" Ephram said sarcastically. 

"Yea… Dad and Bright have already had a giant fight and aren't speaking to each other, and Mom almost broke down crying because of her rose bushes. Not to mention how much work she has to do. Hey, how's Jig feeling?"

"Oh, good. She's sleeping now."

"She's sleeping every time I call."

"Yea, it's the best thing for her, though." 

"Yea. Hey, how are you doing? Quarantine can't be any fun," Amy asked him. He smiled.

"I'm okay, you know, I get a little bored when she's sleeping but besides that I'm fine," he told her. 

"Well, when you're bored, give me a call. I'm bored too," Amy told him.

"Yea, yea of course. I won't even hesitate," he told her.

"Good. How's Delia holding up?"

"She must be fine, if it were otherwise Dad probably would have told me. Delia's always liked Nina."

"That must have been something, help delivering her baby," Amy said. Ephram laughed a little.

"Good doughnuts too," Ephram told her jokingly. Amy paused on the other end.

"Never mind," Ephram said laughing at himself a little. 

"Right… Hey, do you believe in ghosts?" she asked him. Ephram narrowed his eyebrows in a little surprise.

"Uh, I suppose. I don't really know. Why?"

"Well, as you know Halloween is coming up, and every year some friends and I sneak into this 'haunted house' and do a séance. I know, it sounds stupid, but we always have fun."

"And you're inviting me to come along? Why do I think that's a bad idea?"

"Well, I know what my friends think about you, but, It's kind of scary there, and Colin usually comes…"

"You want me to come for protection?"

"Well, yea. Jig too."

"You want Jig to come for protection?" he asked her. Amy smiled.

"No, we want her to come with us on our séance. Oh, oh damn I just remembered, you might not want to come."

"Why not?"

"Desi heads our séance, she knows about all that sort of stuff," Amy told him. Ephram paused as he thought it over.

"Maybe, I could come anyway. You know, if you girls feel scared," Ephram said. Amy nodded.

"Okay, well, ask Jig when she wakes up, okay?"

"Yea. But, uh, it could be minutes or it could be hours."

"That's okay. What? Oh, Bright needs to get on the phone, call me back, okay?"

"Yea, sure. Bye."

"Goodbye Ephram," she answered and they both hung up. 

Ephram sighed. He heard a small, musical sound coming from Jig's room and walked over there. The closer he got to the door, the louder the fast tempo music got. He didn't bother knocking but just opened the door. Inside of the room he found Jig sitting on her bed, banjo in hand. She stopped playing when he entered. She smiled.

"You _actually_ play the banjo," he told her.

"You have your piano, I have my banjo," she said plucking a string. 

"How come this music teacher guy never taught you the piano?" Ephram asked her. She smiled, but it looked a little forced.

"He started to, but I had to leave to come here," she told him. He nodded. 

"I know the feeling," Ephram said taking the banjo from her hands and setting it back in its stand.

"Does it ever stop being sucky?" she asked him.

"It helps not having a fever," Ephram said picking up the thermometer sitting on a table by her bed. 

"Say 'ah,'" he told her. She smiled and opened her mouth. He put the thermometer in and she closed her mouth around it. 

"Everwood will take some getting used to, just give it time," he told her. She just looked at him, not being able to answer due to the thermometer. Ephram narrowed his eyes.

"I can't believe I just said that…" Ephram said. Jig smiled, stood up, and patted him supportively on the shoulder. The thermometer beeped and Ephram slid it out of her mouth. He smiled looking at it.

"You're under one hundred degrees, Jig," he told her. Jig smiled and laughed. She took the thermometer from his hands and hugged his arm.

"Ephram Brown retains his miracle worker status!" she announced. 


	13. not that she knows

"Daddy!" Delia yelled as she ran onto the porch and into his arms. Dr. Brown hugged his daughter and lifted her up so he was holding her. Nina walked to the door smiling.

"Hi sweetie," Dr. Brown said to his daughter. He turned to Nina.

"Hey thanks for taking care of her," Dr. Brown said. Nina waved it off.

"She's always welcome here. See you later Delia," Nina said waving to her.

"Bye Nina, bye Sam," Delia responded as Dr. Brown carried her down the stairs.

He carried her through the dug pathways and around to their porch. Ephram opened the door for them. Dr. Brown set Delia down and she ran over to Ephram and hugged him. The three of them walked into the house.

"Oh, it's cold," Dr. Brown said walking over and turning the heat up. 

"It's good to be home anyway," Ephram said looking around with a smile. Dr. Brown looked at his son and smiled. Ephram hadn't done anything purposefully to put a smile on his father's face, but he put one there. Ephram called this place 'home.' Delia ran directly to her room to change her hat. Dr. Brown checked the refrigerator and picked out a head of lettuce that had gone bad. 

"So how's Jig doing?" Dr. Brown asked his son. Ephram turned to him but turned away before his father realized he had looked up.

"Her fever was gone this morning," Ephram told him. Dr. Brown looked at his son in surprise.

"You got her temperature down from 102 within three days?" Dr. Brown asked him. Ephram glanced up at him and nodded. Dr. Brown smiled.

"That's _really_ great, Ephram," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram looked at him again and his glare stayed this time.

"I didn't do anything, it was Jig's immune system."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. There have been some interesting studies done about how simply having friends around can help people to recovery," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram frowned. 

"I didn't do anything, okay?" Ephram told him and walked off to his room. Dr. Brown nodded his head, smiling, and continued to look through the refrigerator. 

"I suppose I shouldn't even ask what the two of you did all of this time?" Edna asked. Edna and Jig were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table. Irv leaned over Edna's shoulder and placed a dish of food in front of her, and one in front of Jig.

"Edna…" Irv told her warningly. 

"What?" Edna asked and Irv sat down next to her after grabbing himself a plate. 

"I slept most the time. I don't know what he did while I was sleeping," Jig answered her anyway.

"At least you're feeling better," Irv said and Edna agreed. 

"Hey, I'm cold, I'm going to go get my sweater, I'll be right back," Jig said standing up and walking out of the room. Once she was out of ear shot Irv turned to Edna. 

"Questions like that are going to make her think that you don't trust her," Irv told her. Edna sighed in anger.

"Oh, what do you know about raising kids?" she asked him.

"More than you evidently," Irv said taking a sip from his glass. Edna's frown greatened. 

"Why would Kathy send her to _me_ anyway? She saw how my kids turned out, why would she want me to raise _hers_?" Edna asked him.

"Because you're the only one who would take her," Irv answered. Edna sighed and nodded her head.

Amy just stood out on the sidewalk with her head facing the sky. Her eyes were closed and she was just breathing in the cold, clean air. Three days trapped inside with her family was dangerous to anyone's health. _Mental_ health that is. Amy was just happy they survived it without killing and/or eating anyone of them. She opened her eyes and looked around her at all of the mounds of snow. How could two days of snow yield so much? Then again, this wasn't normal snow, this was _Everwood_ snow. There's a _huge_ difference. She also had to smile, thinking about all of the _Pinecone_ editions lying under all of the feet of snow. Today's _Pinecone_ was bound to be interesting. 

Desi tightened the string around her waist, tugged on her swooping sleeves, and straightened her hair a little. She sighed confidently and rang the doorbell. After a few moments Edna Harper opened the door and glared at her skeptically. 

"Hello, Mrs. Harper, my name is Desdemona Quin-"

"I know who you are," Edna told her sharply. Desi nodded.

"Yes, of course. Is Jig home?" Desi asked her. Edna glared at her again, this time just long enough to make Desi a little uncomfortable under it. 

"No, she's out with friends," Edna said and closed the door in her face. Desi stood still and silent for awhile before turning around and walking back down the walkway. That did not go as expected.

"This is the _single_ most _horrifying_ moment of my _life!_" Jig yelled rubbing her gloved hands together furiously. Both Ephram and Amy had a hand wrapped around one of her arms and were nearly dragging her along a pathway that went through the woods. While Ephram and Amy were wearing jackets, gloves, long pants, and boots, Jig was practically wearing every piece of clothing she owned. Ephram and Amy had to laugh at her. Neither of them had ever seen a person so against going for a walk.

"It's just _snow_, Jig," Amy told her.

"It's frozen _Hell_, that's what it is!" Jig corrected her.

"You're a freak, Jig. Has anyone ever told you that?" Ephram asked her. 

"Yes… Listen, you two can go for a walk if you want to, but do it together, leave _me_ out of it," Jig said beginning to walk away. Ephram and Amy both tightened their grip on her. Jig frowned.

"Okay, _don't_…" Jig said and paused. After a few moments Jig bolted and sprinted away from them both. They took chase after her. Jig looked behind her to see how close they were, a smile on her face. She stopped running under a tree and waited for them to catch up. They did and paused to catch their breath.

"I can't run away, I'd get lost," Jig told them and the two smiled. 

"You have a horrible running posture," Amy told her.

"I don't do it that often," Jig explained.

"Yea we know 'you spend too much time outside, you die,'" Ephram said holding his hand up.

"Die?" Amy asked a little curious. Jig nodded.

"One way or another. You either die of the heat during the day, or getting shot during the night," Jig said with a frown. Ephram sighed angrily. 

"Oh who was it? Uh… Joe Frisco. He said that LA is "the only town in the world where you can wake up in the morning and listen to the birds coughing in the trees,'" Ephram said and Amy and Jig laughed.

"I haven't heard that one," Jig said. 

"How do you remember that?" Amy asked him. Ephram shrugged.

"Genetics."

"I want that embroidered on a pill-" Jig started when there was a crackling noise coming from the tree above them. The three of them looked up and suddenly something fell down from the tree and into Jig's arms. She screamed as the dazed raccoon looked up at her. Jig immediately dropped the creature to the ground. It scattered away, unhurt by either fall. On its way into the woods, it turned back to look at them, and then ran away. Jig turned back to Ephram and Amy, a horror stricken look on her face.

"We're going home, _now_," Jig told them. They nodded. 

Delia sat alone at lunch. It was too cold to eat outside so the school was eating inside. That meant she had to find a new place to sit. She had found one though, in the far back corner, under the broken light. There she sat alone, all alone. Since Magilla left, she didn't have any friends. 

"I think you dropped this is in class," a girl said placing a pencil in front of Delia. Delia looked up at the small Japanese girl with black wire rimmed glasses. Delia looked at the pencil and wrapped her hand around it and pulled it closer to her. She had seen the girl around the class, she never said anything, returning Delia's pencil must have been brave of her. 

"Thanks," Delia said softly. The girl nodded and they both fell into an uncomfortable silence. Delia noticed that the girl was holding her lunchbox in her hand.

"Do you wanna join me?" Delia asked her. The girl paused for a while before wordlessly sitting down across from her.

"Thanks…" the girl said.

"You're welcome. I'm Delia."

"I'm Murasaki," the girl introduced herself. Delia smiled, and Murasaki smiled too. 

"Eleven colds, five sore throats, and one inner ear infection. I never had this in New York City," Dr. Brown said walking out of his office into the main sitting room. Edna chuckled. 

"We do things big here in Everwood," she told him. Dr. Brown chuckled and shook his head as he looked over a few pieces of paper on a clipboard. 

"How could you go from the battle field to a small town nurse, Edna?" Dr. Brown asked her. 

"I could ask you the same," she told him. Dr. Brown laughed again. 

"Touché," he told her and walked back into his office. 

"Um, uh, Dr. Abbott, yo- your eleven o'clock is here," Louise said poking her head into Dr. Abbott's office. 

"Thank you Louise, send her in," he said shrewdly. Louise nodded, retracted her head, and closed the door. A few moments later there was a knock on the door. 

"Come in Tionè," he said. A tall, pretty Black woman walked into the room, closing the door behind her. Dr. Abbott stood as she entered. She stood at the door and waved 'hello' to him. He beckoned her to sit in the chair across the desk from him and he sat done as she did so. 

"So, how are you feeling?" he asked her. Tionè moved her hands in front of her and he nodded his head.

"That's perfectly natural at this stage. Just eat some crackers and get plenty of rest," he told her. She moved her hands in front of her again. 

"Yes, that's to be expected. Where's Earl?" he asked her. Again she moved her hands, longer this time.

"Oh that's alright, don't worry about it. I don't have another appointment until one. Thanks to that no good demirep…" Dr. Abbott told her and stopped himself before he went off on a tangent, "we have time before we have to do the sonogram."


	14. she's never seen my computer

Bright walked down the hallway. He had left his house early that morning and intended to return late. He was trapped in that house with his family for three days. There wasn't a person alive who would blame him for staying out late.

"Hello cousin dear," Jig said walking up behind him. He looked at her and scoffed.

"What do you want?" he asked her. It was known that she was a friend of Ephram Brown, a person he considered, despite everything, a threat. 

"Oh you're just _glowing_ with warmth Bright," she said sarcastically. He sighed.

"You're right. How are you feeling?" he asked her insincerely. She smiled the same.

"Well once I stopped coughing up radioactive material I was fine," she told her. 

"Good. _Bye_," he said starting to walk away. She grabbed his arm and turned him around to face her. The expression on her face had turned serious. 

"You do realize that if it weren't for him, Colin would be _completely_ screwed," Jig told him. Bright frowned.

"Don't," he snarled at her. He pulled his arm from her grasp and continued walking away.

"You're just mad because he's helping to fix all of your mistakes!" Jig yelled after him. He stopped for a moment, and then continued down the hall. Jig sighed disappointedly and walked the opposite way down the hall.

Jig walked around the bend before stopping when she heard the faint music. She turned her head and realized she was standing in front of the doors to the auditorium. The bell for lunch just rang so Jig walked over to the door without any obstruction. Quietly she opened the door and peeked inside. Ephram was on the stage, playing the piano. Jig had heard a lot of music in her life, but this one she didn't recognize. She stepped fully into the auditorium and walked slowly on tiptoes toward the stage. Still Ephram didn't notice her; he seemed too consumed by his playing. Jig walked all the way to the stage platform without being noticed. Ephram was a much better piano player than the music teacher that had lived across the hall from her. When he finally finished Jig clapped and cheered, the sounds echoing throughout the entire auditorium. Ephram jumped upon seeing her and quickly removed the sheets of music off of the piano and to the seat next to him. He looked at her in absolute horror. She smiled. 

"That was beautiful. I bet she loved it," Jig told him. He looked around himself nervously, as if planning an escape. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said forcing a confused smile. Jig walked around and up onto the stage. 

"How long did it take for you to write that, anyway? It probably didn't seem like long, though. It was a 'labor of love,' right?" she asked him. The closer she got to him the more uneasy he became. He never wanted anyone but Amy to know about that song, let alone hear it. It was Amy's and no one else's. Jig saw the displeased look on his face so hers soon reflected much the same. 

"I wondered why you weren't in lunch, so I came looking for you. Plus, Wendell saw me so…" she said, figuring a conversation with Bright might not be the best thing to bring up at this time. 

"You said 'if' before. Why?" Ephram asked her seriously. The question caught Jig a little off guard so it took her a few moments to respond. 

"I had a fever Ephram, I was _delirious_ or something…"

"You still said it."

"I didn't _mean_ it! _Dammit_ Ephram! Why do you always have to take _everything_ to heart?" she whined. He sighed and looked away from her. Jig sighed and rubbed the space between her eyes. 

"You want to go for a walk?"

"Delia! Delia get over here! I need my two little gumdrops together!" Mrs. Violet yelled to her. Delia was in costume and felt like falling off the face of the earth. She walked onto the stage and up to Mrs. Violet and the other gumdrop. Delia looked over at the other gumdrop. Murasaki frowned back at her.

"You're a gumdrop too?" Delia asked her. Murasaki nodded. 

"Is this how you envisioned your life?" Murasaki asked her. Delia shook her head.

"Okay you two! I don't want to hear you talk! I want to hear you _sing_!" Mrs. Violet told them. Delia and Murasaki sighed in unison and began their 'Gumdrop Song.'

"Aren't you cold?" Ephram asked Jig as they were walking through the woods. Jig laughed a little at the question.

"No! Actually! I'm warm! I'm so warm in fact, I'm only wearing three shirts instead of four!" she told him. Ephram looked surprise.

"_Really_? Wow, you must be adapting," Ephram responded surprised. 

" 'Adapting.' You make it sound like I belong in a Darwin theory," Jig told him and he smiled. They both fell silent for a bit as they walked. After a few moments Jig reached out her hand and stopped Ephram from walking. 

"What?" he asked after being halted. Jig just raised her finger to her mouth to silence him. Now they just stood in silence for a few moments. After a while Jig let go of him and shook her head.

"Must have been nothing," she said.

"What, did you hear something?" Ephram asked her worriedly. She waved it off.

"I thought I heard someone following us, guess I was wrong," she said.

"Following us? Oh, you meant you thought you heard _Wendell _following _you_," Ephram told her. 

"Really though! If I killed him, _would_ anyone miss him?" she asked and he laughed. 

"Oh I'm sure, somewhere. Maybe in France…" he said and Jig laughed. They both fell silent again. 

"I talked to Bright," Jig said since he was in a better mood now than before. Ephram looked at her surprised but then looked away before she had noticed. 

"About what?" he asked her casually. Ephram viewed Jig talking to Bright the same way Bright viewed Jig talking to Ephram. 

"His cheerful demeanor at first," Jig said and Ephram smiled. 

"I bet that was a short conversation…"

"Record breaking."

"Then what?"

"Then I told him why he doesn't like you," Jig informed him simply. Ephram paused.

"He didn't hit you did he?" Ephram asked her and she laughed.

"No. Not that he could if he wanted to."

"Jig, _why_ did you talk to Bright?" Ephram asked her seriously. 

"He's my second cousin."

"No, really why?" he asked. Jig sighed and turned to face him.

"Because if he doesn't hate you it might be easier for you and Amy. I said it before. Bright's good will is _important_ Ephram," she reminded him. He nodded.

"I know. I but don't think it should be your doing. I think I have to do that on my own," Ephram told her. Jig smiled.

"How noble," she said and Ephram smiled at the idea of being 'noble.' Jig looked behind them again as they walked. When she faced front again she sighed.

"Wendell's probably still in school," Ephram told her. She nodded.

"I know. I just can't shake this feeling of being followed."

"So is paranoia a common thing with you, or is this a recent development?" Ephram asked her.

"Hm, common…" she said and he laughed. The two fell silent again. 

"You wanna go watch Mononoke-Hime?" Ephram asked her.

"Sure," she answered and they walked off toward Ephram's house. 

Dr. Brown stepped out of his car in front of his house. He took a step forward but then stopped. He looked down the street to his right, and then down the street to his left. Every single house was covered from head to toe with Halloween decorations. There was nothing but black and orange as far as the eye could see. Every house, save one. His house was completely bare of all decoration. Dr. Brown walked up into his house; somewhat hoping no one would remember that he lived there. 

"I think we need to go buy some Halloween decorations!" he called out as he hung up his coat. He then realized he probably wasn't heard. He heard erratic piano playing amidst laughter. He walked around and found Ephram and Jig sitting on the piano bench, both with their hands on the keys. Ephram played a few notes and then told Jig to try. Jig pressed a few keys and they both started laughing again. 

"You are so bad at this," Ephram told her. Jig laughed.

"Oh and I bet you could do Mozart straight out of the womb."

"Mozart no, _Beethoven_ I could do," he said and she laughed. Dr. Brown chuckled a little too. 

"Hey guys," Dr. Brown told them. They both turned around to see him.

"Hi Dr. Brown," Jig said.

"Hi, Dad," Ephram said turning back around. 

"What are you guys doing?" Dr. Brown asked them.

"Ephram here is trying to teach me how to play the piano," Jig answered him.

"Trying and failing," Ephram added. 

"Not that it's his fault," Jig said. 

"I never said it was my fault," Ephram told her and she laughed.

"Jig, do you want to stay for dinner?" Dr. Brown asked her. Jig looked ready to accept so Ephram stopped her.

"If I let him feed you I'd never forgive myself for your death," Ephram said. Jig laughed.

"I'm sure it's not that bad Ephram," Jig told him.

"Have you ever eaten charcoal?" Ephram asked her. Jig's eyebrows burrowed a little in surprise of the question.

"Can't say that I have."

"Then you don't know how bad it can be," Ephram said.

"If we order out can she stay?" Dr. Brown asked him. Ephram nodded.

"Good. I'll call Irv and Edna for you," Dr. Brown said walking out of the room. Jig turned to Ephram.

"Why does he want me to stay for dinner so badly?" Jig asked him.

"He wants me to have friends," Ephram said placing his fingers back on the piano keys. 

"It's not a bad goal, Ephram," she told him.

"I don't need his help on it," Ephram said playing a soft melody. Jig sighed.

"You don't need _his_ help. You don't need _my _help. Do you intend to do everything on your own?" Jig asked him. He glanced at her briefly before going back to the piano music.


	15. well, my dad's computer

*Little author's note thingy: There's a bad word in this chapter, just one, though. Guess who uses it. Go on. Guess!

Delia and Murasaki sat across the table from each other. The room was filled with chattering children, with only a few individual voices reaching above the rest. Delia and Murasaki both sat in silence and erratically ate food from their plate, casually looking up at each other. Their sitting together seemed more of an arrangement than a friendship, but it was an arrangement they both enjoyed. It was better than sitting alone. Only this day the silence was beginning to get to Delia. She had been thinking long and hard about why she's so different in school than she is at home. 

"What's your last name?" Delia asked Murasaki. Murasaki looked up at her. 

"Kasshoku," Murasaki told her shyly. Delia smiled.

"That's pretty. Does it mean anything?" Delia asked her. Murasaki nodded smiling. 

"It means 'brown,'" Murasaki said. Delia's smile widened and she looked back down at her food. 

__

"You've had _all year_ to think about it, how can you not know what you're going to be for Halloween?" Jig demanded from Ephram as she stood in his room. Ephram was almost fully engulfed in his closet, which, despite its recent creation, was a mess. Ephram was almost positive something was living in there. It had already eaten one of his favorite shirts. 

"I had other things on my mind," Ephram told her. Jig looked at the ground with a slight frown taking over her face before she responded. 

"Well, let's go over every anime first," Jig said looking around his room at the posters, for inspiration. 

"How about Tuxedo Mask?" she asked him as the idea came to her without the aid of a poster.

"With no Usagi? No," Ephram told her. Jig thought about it a little. She then snapped her fingers when the epiphany came.

"Ranma! You can be boy Ranma and I can be girl Ranma!" Jig said. Ephram sighed angrily. 

"No one here would get it."

"I bet _Desi_ would," Jig said with a grin. Ephram turned his head to see her grinning at him, scoffed, and turned back into the closet. 

"Not Ranma. Besides I'm- uh, here it is," Ephram said grabbing something. As he stood up and turned around, a black and white cloak flew around him as he tied it around his neck. Jig's face turned into a giant smile when she saw it. The cloak went down to his ankles with the black side out and the satiny white side against his back. Jig clapped her hands together.

"That's great! But what can we do with it?" she asked him. Ephram walked over to his dresser, opened the top drawer, and pulled something out. It was a white mask that he pressed against his face, covering his eyes and forehead. Jig clapped her hands together again.

"_The Phantom of the Opera_, that's perfect Ephram. It's not anime, but it's great."

"Yea, my mom thought so. That's what I was last year," Ephram said taking the mask off and looking at it in his hand. Jig frowned worriedly. 

"Maybe we should pick something else…" she suggested. Ephram shook his head.

"No, you were right before, it is perfect," Ephram said setting the mask on his dresser. Jig sighed and forced a smile on her face.

"I bet you can play all of the music from it too," Jig said. Ephram smiled.

"From _memory_."

"_There_ they are. It's uncanny how fast they grow, isn't it?" Dr. Abbott asked. He turned his face away from the sonogram to the mother of the twins he had been looking at. The woman smiled, her hands entangled with that of the very tall, very built Black man standing next to her. Dr. Abbott had to smile at how happy the couple was. No matter how many times they saw their twins on the screen they were always in perfect bliss. Dr. Abbott was happy for them. He knew how long they had been trying to have children, and now they were having twins. One boy and one girl. Every time they came in to see him, they brought a new list of names. This time the main names were Haines and Haleigh. 

"They're beautiful," Earl, the father, said. Tionè, the mother, moved her hands quickly in front of her.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Earl told her. She smiled and repeated the same movements, only slower this time. Earl laughed.

"Yea, I guess they do have my eyes," he said, "especially the boy," he added pointing to a spot on the screen. Dr. Abbott looked where Earl was pointing and cleared his throat as he looked back at Earl.

"That's the girl," Dr. Abbott told him.

"Oh…" Earl said embarrassed slightly. Tionè's smile widened like she wanted to laugh. 

"Oh! And you'll definitely need some of these!" the bleached blonde, twenty something, girl in a red vest said as she threw some orange lights into the cart Dr. Brown was pushing. The cart was filled near to the brim with orange and black decorations, nearly everything with a pumpkin or black cat on it. No ghosts, that's what Dr. Brown had pledged to himself. Things living after death wasn't an idea he wanted his children living around at this time. Plus he was pretty sure Delia was scared of ghosts. The girl who was leading him stopped and turned around to face him. She pointed to what looked like a cloth witch who had flown into the wall, hanging next to several of the same.

"Now these are very popular this year. But I suggest, that since you already have the blow-up Frankenstein Monster, I suggest not going with these witches unless who have just fallen in love with them," the girl told him. Dr. Brown shook his head with a smile.

"That shouldn't be a problem," he said. 

"Good. Now to me you look a lot like a skeleton man, so let me introduce you to aisle number four!" she said leading him around the corner into another aisle. Every aisle had been done up extravagantly, but aisle four looked and felt like a mausoleum. Dr. Brown took a moment to cringe before wheeling his cart into the aisle. 

Delia sat on the living room couch, homework in her lap. _Division_, oh how she loathed division. She had a horrible enough job with it, but now she was only increasingly troubled with it because of the hammering her father was doing outside. He had never put up decorations before, of any sort, so the hammering was erratic and had an interval of minor yells of pain and distemper. If the hammering weren't such a nuisance, Delia would almost laugh.

Ephram and Jig walked side by side down the sidewalk to his house. The Ayashi no Ceres DVD Jig had been saving for and ordered had finally come in. Only there wasn't a DVD player at Jig's house, and Ephram never refused the chance to watch a new anime. Besides, when he was young he had a Japanese babysitter who told him the legend the anime was based on. She's probably why he ever got interested in anime. Ephram and Jig both stopped walking when they came upon 2179 Deerborn St. Dr. Brown was at the top of a ladder, nailing in a crooked jack o' lantern to the porch. Ephram sighed not so much in aggravation as in embarrassment. Dr. Brown stepped down off of the ladder and looked over his work. 

"It's crooked," Ephram told him. Dr. Brown sighed. 

"I know, and it's _staying that way_," Dr. Brown said, hinting at a battle he had fought long with the jack o' lantern but ultimately lost. 

"The rest of them look nice though, Dr. Brown," Jig said. Dr. Brown smiled.

"Why thank you Jig. Nina brought some cookies over, they're on the kitchen counter, if either of you would like one," he told them.

"Yea, thanks Dad," Ephram said walking quickly into the house.

Once inside Ephram's room he closed the door and they placed their book bags on the floor. Ephram walked over to take the DVD from Jig's hand but she retracted it just as he was about to grab it. He looked at her confused.

"What?" he asked her.

"You should be nicer to your dad," she answered. Ephram scoffed annoyed and turned away from her.

"Not you too," he said. Jig's expression turned slightly to an annoyed degree. 

"One of these days you're going to tell me why you act like this," she told him. He turned around and looked at her in surprise. 

"Act like _what_?"

"Like you're some pitiful little thing! You act like the world dealt you the worst of all possible hands!" she told him. 

"And whose to say it didn't? Huh? Whose to say the world didn't deal me the worst hand?" he demanded from her, his voice rising as he did so. She simply stared at him for a few moments before responding. 

"_I am_," was all she responded. Ephram paused this time. He then scoffed and turned his back to her again. 

"Don't turn your back on me Ephram Brown!" she shouted, causing him to immediately turn around, "all of my life people have been turning their back on me! I don't like it! You are _going_ to listen to _everything_ I have to say! You are the luckiest person I have ever met Ephram! You grew up in wealth, in this fabulous apartment with two parents who love you so much their hearts hurt! With a little sister who is pretty sure that if you're not God, you're damn near it! You grew up with _nothing_ but privilege! And now the only thing you complain about is the fact that your father loves you enough not to give up on you, and a girl who is torn between you, who she's known for two months or so, and the guy she's loved since she was five! You are damn lucky Ephram Brown, and it's past time someone told you!"

"If I'm so lucky, then why is my mother dead?" Ephram asked through his teeth. Throughout Jig's speech Ephram had been growing more and more angry. 

"The same reason my m-, my _father_ is dead. It just _fucking _happens…" she told him. Ephram fell silent by that. 

"Just go away," he finally told her, turning his back to her for a third time.

"No! I'm not going to let you push me away! You push everyone away!" she said walking over to him. He turned back around to face her; a little surprised by her new closeness. 

"I tried to let someone get close to me. Do you remember what happened there Jig, do you? She pushed _me_ away Jig!" he told her.

"Well what did you expect for her to do? Drop everything just because you have a crush on her?"

"No! Because I _love_ her!" Ephram yelled very near her face. He leaned away and breathed heavily as she stared at him, a near emotionless expression on her face. 

"Love is not enough, Ephram," she told him.

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do, and you know it too. Love wasn't enough to stop the bomb that killed my father, love wasn't enough to stop the car that killed your mom, and it's not enough now," Jig told him now more sympathetically then angrily. That's the way he heard it, too. Ephram sighed now, an understanding finally reaching him.

"You want me to be nice and get to know my dad, because you never got the chance to know yours, right?" he asked her, straying back to the original topic. She nodded simply. Ephram reached over and grabbed the DVD from her hand, and they watched it. 


	16. oh! I own desi too! me! me! me!

Desi was walking through the costume aisles of the local department store. She needed a great costume. Her father's Halloween party was always the biggest in the town and everyone was going to be there. The Abbotts were definitely coming, as they did every year. The Harpers always came. The Browns had been invited too. Desi hoped Ephram would come. She needed a story. She had actually been studying various animes. She went into come chatrooms and the people there seemed to think she was an actual fan. If she can fool them she can probably fool Ephram. But first, she needed the perfect costume. She already had her clothes for the séance picked out, but she had to make an appearance at the party before she went. 

She took a step around the corner when she saw Amy Abbott discussing a costume with two of her friends. Desi pushed herself against the row of costumes and hid herself pretty well. Hiding had been something she had actually been practicing at. She was getting pretty good at it too. 

"I can't believe you asked _him_ to join us," one of Amy's friends said to her, pulling a costume off of the wall. 

"I suppose you want to wander around that old house on Halloween by ourselves?" Amy asked her.

"She does have a point," the other friend mentioned to the first. 

"Yea, well. Why _him_? Why not Bright?"

"Bright wouldn't come and you know it."

"Well there _has_ to be someone else."

"There isn't. Besides, he's really nice. Plus since Dinah is vacationing in Paris this month we need another girl to sit with us. And Ephram and Jig are best friends. One probably wouldn't come without the other," Amy said.

"Oh please Amy, Ephram would leave Jig in a ditch if it meant spending time with you," the first friend said. Amy frowned. 

"Come on Taylor. Ephram really isn't that bad," the second friend told the first.

"His hair is _purple _Andrea, is case you didn't notice!" Taylor told her.

"It's not like it's natural," Andrea responded. Taylor scoffed.

"I _know_ that!"

"Come on guys. What about this one?" Amy asked them, holding a long, 1770's style dress to herself. Taylor sighed.

"I think the blue would be better," she said. Desi carefully slid out through the costumes and back out of the aisle. She smiled and chewed one of her fingernails. No one had told her Ephram Brown was coming to the séance. That could be unbelievably good for her. It'll help her become friends with Ephram and Jig. Now she had to go home and re-pick what she was going to wear. 

Again Delia sat across from Murasaki at lunch, and again they were both silent. This actually gave Delia time to get to know Murasaki. Silence let's people learn things that words could not. Delia just sat watching her. Murasaki had several odd quirks. When her left hand was unoccupied, she would tap her thumb on the table. She had a strand of hair that always fell into her eyes that Murasaki never seemed to notice. And something Delia just learned today. Murasaki eats pizza with a knife and fork. She brought a lunch to school Tuesdays and Thursdays but the rest of the week she'd buy a lunch. When she brought a lunch it was always a peanut butter and banana sandwich, a kiwi fruit, and a thermos of milk. Murasaki would always eat the kiwi first and then the sandwich.

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" Murasaki asked her shyly. Slowly they both looked up at each other. 

"I was thinking I'd be a witch," Delia told her. Murasaki smiled. "What were you thinking?"

"A black cat," Murasaki said. Delia smiled. 

"Maybe we should go Trick or Treating together," Delia said nervously. It was a broad step for them, and she wouldn't like being refused. Not that she had to worry about that, for Murasaki's smile only grew stronger at the suggestion.

"I can show you the houses that give away the best candy!" Murasaki said.

"I'd like that!" Delia said and they both giggled in anticipation of Halloween night. 

"Ephram!" Jig yelled running through the hall, avoiding the kids walking there. Ephram, hearing his name called, stopped, and turned around. He waited for Jig to rush over to him with an obviously distressed look on her face. When she finally reached him she tripped and fell on him.

"Sorry," she said regaining her balance.

"It's okay. What's wrong?" he asked her more out of curiosity than worry.

"Do you remember that raccoon? The one that fell into my arms, that day you and Amy made me go for a walk?" she asked him barely slow enough for him to comprehend. He nodded.

"Yea, it scared us half to death."

"Yea, well. It's following me," she told him seriously. Ephram paused for a few moments before chuckling softly.

"It's following you?" he asked just to make sure. She nodded.

"When I walked off of my porch this morning, it was sitting at the bottom of the tree in the front yard. Do you know the tree I mean?" she asked and he nodded. "Well after I walked past it and down the sidewalk, I turned around to see if it was still there. It was ten feet behind me, following me! It followed me all the way to school! Then, in second period, I looked out the window. And it was sitting the tree watching me! I'm being stalked by a raccoon Ephram!"

"You sure it wasn't just Wendell in a raccoon costume?" Ephram asked laughing more at the visual than the situation. Jig didn't find it as amusing. 

"I'm serious here Ephram! The wildlife is following me!"

"You were probably just imagining it Jig. Why would a raccoon follow you?" he asked her. She shrugged.

"I don't know! Everyone seems to be following me here!"

"Maybe it's one of Wendell's spies. Was it carrying a camera?" Ephram asked her laughing. Again Jig did not find it amusing.

"You're not taking this matter seriously Ephram…" she stated the obvious. 

"Okay, okay. I'll walk home with you today, and if it follows you we'll call animal control or someone," Ephram said, knowing he'd prefer "someone." His value of the people at animal control was not high, not since the deer. 

"Okay, good. This is really creeping me out here," she told him. He nodded. 

"I could tell."

It was slow at Dr. Brown's clinic that day so he sat in his office reading a cookbook. It had been hard for him to acquire it. It was one of those things he wanted to buy, but didn't want anyone to know he wanted to buy. Dr. Brown was sure his children would replace "wanted" with "needed." He had confessed the want/need to Edna in confidence, and she saved him the trouble by giving him one of Irv's. Irv, it seemed, had been given cookbooks unjustly, and was happy to be rid of them, not that he knew how exactly they were being disposed of. Dr. Brown was finding them highly interesting. He was actually beginning to see some things he had been doing wrong. He was actually eager to start that night's dinner, which was rare. There was one dish that looked both easy and fun. He'd have to pick up a few things before he went home, but he needed to buy candy for Halloween anyway. Trick or Treating in Everwood lasted from four to eight. After that the Mayor held a giant party for the entire town. He thought he might go to that with the kids until Delia got tired. That sprung an idea into his head. He needed a costume. 

Amy had liked the blue better too. She had bought the dress and was now staring at it as it lay spread out on her bed. It had been so beautiful she had bought it without really thinking. She was sick of it already. It reminded her so much of the dress she was wearing last July Fourth. Of the dress she was wearing when Colin went into that coma. She had burned that dress and felt like burning this one. She had to get rid of it. Some how, she had to get rid of this dress. 

"How old are these costumes?" Irv asked as Edna spread two costumes out on the couch. She picked the jacket of one and beat it against the couch to get some of the dust off.

"We wore these a few years ago, remember?" she asked him. He surveyed the costumes with a slight frown.

"I guess I've blocked it from my memory," he muttered. 

"Come on, you looked great. Everyone got a laugh out of it. Now, where's that wig?" Edna asked herself moving back across the room to an open closet. 

"There wasn't a raccoon Jig!" Irv heard Ephram's voice say as he followed Jig into the house.

"Hey kids," Irv said to them. They both walked over to him and looked at the costumes laying on the couch.

"Whoa, what's with the Frankenstein costume?" Jig asked him. Irv sighed in reply.

"Here it is, I found it," Edna said walking over to them carrying a black curly wig with white streaks going up the sides.

"And there would be the bride," Ephram said upon seeing it. Edna wiped some of the dust off of the wild wig and placed it on her head, using her hand to sweep some of her bangs under it.

"How do I look?" she asked them.

"You look like a freak Edna, an _absolute_ freak," Jig confessed. Edna chuckled. 

"Good. It's Halloween, I'm supposed to be a freak," Edna said. 

"Do you two know what you're going to be yet?" Irv asked them.

"Well, I'm going to be the Phantom of the Opera and she's-"

"Undecided," Jig finished for him. Irv nodded in understanding.

"Well, if you need any help deciding, ask _Edna_, she has a million of them," Irv said. Edna laughed and slapped Irv playfully in the shoulder.

"Come on, we need to find you some green face paint," Edna said and she and Irv left the room. Jig was smiling, filled with happiness because of the couple. Ephram was smiling for much the same reason but then he turned to Jig. 

" 'Undecided?' After all of the stuff you gave me for not knowing what I was going to be?" Ephram asked her. Jig shrugged. 

"I'm just not big on Halloween this year," she told him. Ephram rolled his eyes.

"Well. That's start with all of the animes. Sailor Moon?" he asked her. She laughed.

"With no Tuxedo Mask? No!"

"Well you think of something."

"I will, don't worry about it. Something will come."

"You could always be a raccoon."

"Oh shut up!"


	17. and her past! me! me! me!

Nina looked out of her window to see Dr. Brown standing in his front yard, looking at his house. Nina pulled on her coat and walked out onto her front porch. She stood for a few moments looking at Dr. Brown as he surveyed his recently decorated house. The look on his face was not one of delight. Nina leaned forward to get a better look at his house. She didn't blame him for his lack of exhilaration. Only one thing on the entire house was level. It had a tinge of humor to its appearance but Nina suppressed the grin.

"Looking good!" she called out to him. His head turned to see her.

"Liar!" he yelled back at her. She smiled and walked down her front steps and over to him. She stood at his side and surveyed the house from that point of view. Nina nodded her head.

"You've never done this before, have you?" she asked him. He chuckled slightly and shook his head. 

"Is it that obvious?" he asked. She looked over house again and nodded.

"Yea Andy, it really is," she said and he chuckled again.

"It'll be better next year."

"Yea but what about Christmas?" Nina asked him. Dr. Brown looked at her.

"I'll hire somebody," he said. Nina smiled.

"You should get my husband to do it. He's won the house decorating contest for the past three years," Nina said.

"Yea, where is your husband anyway?" Dr. Brown asked her. Nina sighed.

"Tokyo. Oh, that reminds me. Is there anything Ephram might like from there? For his birthday or something?"

"I'll have to ask him. He might want something for Jig."

"The girl staying with Edna and Irv? Who is she exactly? I've only heard rumors." 

"Edna's great niece. Her and Ephram seem to have really hit it off."

"I thought Ephram liked Amy Abbott?" Nina asked him curiously. Dr. Brown nodded.

"He does. Ephram and Jig are just friends."

"Hm. Now, Jig would be Amy's, _second_ cousin?" Nina asked not quite sure of it. Dr. Brown answered her with a nod.

"And Dr. Abbott's her first cousin once removed," Dr. Brown added with a smile. 

"Jig must be Laura's grand daughter," Nina said thinking about it.

"Who's Laura?" Dr. Brown asked tilting his head curiously.

"Edna's little sister. Married rich, moved to California," Nina explained. Dr. Brown's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Married rich, huh?" he asked her to make sure. Nina nodded.

"Yea. Why?"

"Well… When I got Jig's medical records from her old doctor, I recognized his name. He started a free clinic in the _poor_ districts of Los Angeles…"

"Oh yea… Well, ten years ago the family kicked Jig and Kathy out of the family. Completely cut them off," Nina said. Dr. Brown again looked confused. 

"That doesn't sound like Edna," he said. Nina shook her head.

"It wasn't. Edna was the only one who still cared at all about either of them."

"Why would they abandon Jig and her mom?" Dr. Brown asked more himself than Nina. Nina shrugged. 

"That's one of the greatest mysteries. No one but the family knows, and they're keeping a tight seal on it," Nina explained. They both fell silent for a few moments before Dr. Brown turned his head back to her.

"Nina, why is Jig here?" he asked her. Nina looked away from the disaster back to him.

"All I hear are rumors, at the café. I wish I could tell you, but I can't. Doesn't Ephram know?" Nina asked surprised.

"No, I don't think so."

"Hm, you'd think she would have told him."

"Yea. You'd think she would…"

"What's wrong with you kid?" Edna asked walking into the living room and spotting Jig sitting on the couch staring into space. Edna stopped walking when she didn't get a response and a worried look overtook her face. She took a few steps closer to the couch.

"Kid? Hey? _Jig_?" Edna asked again. Slowly Jig turned her head to look at Edna.

"What?" she asked simply.

"Are you okay? You're not getting sick again are you?" Edna asked and dreaded that the answer might be yes. Jig shook her head.

"No, I'm fine, just, thinking."

"About what?" Edna asked sitting down on the couch next to her. Edna was now in charge of this kid. She had to act like she was a caring parent again. It was a step back through time but she was trying to make it. 

"I had a dream last night, about my mom," Jig said folding her arms over her chest. Edna frowned. That was a subject Edna was hoping would never come up, but knew it would.

"That's going to happen a lot kiddo," Edna told her. Jig nodded.

"I know," she replied. Edna sighed.

"Listen, if, if you need to talk about it or anything-"

"Thanks Edna. I know you'd be there, but don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you," Jig said with a smile. Edna chuckled slightly and patted Jig on the knee and she stood up.

"Thanks kid, but if you do…"

"I know," Jig said. Edna nodded and walked out of the room. 

"See, this is my tail. My mom bought me a feather boa for it. Now the whiskers here are actually aluminum foil. My dad says I can get cable on them but I don't believe him," Murasaki said smiling. She and Delia were sitting in Delia's living room. Murasaki had a drawing of a cat costume spread out in front of them. She had drawn it herself and was actually quite proud of it. Delia sat silently listening to her new friend. She wished she had drawn a picture of her witch costume. She bought hers from a store, but Murasaki and her family made hers. That must have been fun.

"Hey guys, Nina just brought these over for you," he said placing a plate of cookies in front of them. Delia had her first friend over and Dr. Brown wanted to make sure she'd do it again. There was nothing like Nina's cookies to convince someone to come back. 

"Thanks Dad," Delia told him.

"You're welcome. Hey, that drawing's really good, did you do it?" he asked Murasaki. She nodded her head smiling. Dr. Brown smiled.

"Well it's really good."

"Thank you."

"Hey Murasaki, do you want to go see my costume?" Delia asked her excitedly. Murasaki nodded and they both ran out of the room. Dr. Brown had to smile. Delia was happy again.

Desi leaned back in her chair and rubbed her chin. She had been studying anime for the past two or three hours. There were just _so_ many of them. How Ephram could keep track of them all she had no idea. He must be some kind of genius or something. She got the best grades in school and she _still_ had trouble telling all of the gundams apart. Actually she had to admit, she was beginning to enjoy some of them. Some of the artistry was amazing. She downloaded an episode of a show called Dragon Ball Z, and despite the fact it was all fighting, the animation looked really good. She had to wonder if the art teacher would ever teach the kids how to draw like that. She leaned over and clicked to another window. It was a newspaper article about Julia Brown's death. There was a picture from the funeral and Ephram was in it. He looked so sad Desi's heart broke. It must have been so horrible for him. His little sister was crying in the picture but Ephram's face was dry. It was amazing. Every day Ephram Brown was becoming more and more amazing to her. 

To her dismay, and surprise, an idea had crossed Desi's mind. Ephram Brown had enough going on in his life and she knew it. Maybe she shouldn't be writing this article about him, about his dad. Maybe she shouldn't use him like this. But she _really_ wanted to write that article. It was her ticket to mainstream writing and she knew it. The school newspaper, the _Pinecone_, that was nothing. She had been writing for both for years. She wrote half of the articles in the _Pinecone_ and everyone knew it. She wanted bigger things. She knew the Browns were her way there. But, if there was a way she could get there, without stepping on people. Geez, if her father knew she was thinking such things he'd have a fit. He was a politician; his career was based on stepping on people. But Desi wasn't sure if she wanted to do that anymore. She didn't have a lot of friends, no one trusted her. She was really lonely. She never thought about it before. She really _was_ lonely. She wasn't sure if she had ever known how to be otherwise. She really had something to work on here.

Amy sat in lab. She sat in lab but her mind was in Colin's hospital room as it tended to be. She could hear Taylor talking to her, and Ephram and Wendell talking behind her, but she didn't feel like saying anything to anyone. She just couldn't get the image of Colin laying there, battered and bruised, out of her mind. It was a horrible image, she hated it with her entire being, but it wouldn't let go of her. Slowly her hand went to the cross that was hanging around her neck. She had given it to Colin to hold but it had been given back to her. Why did Colin ever gone into that damned coma? Had she done something to deserve this pain? Was this repentance for some unknown crime? Was it even her crime? She couldn't think of any action she had ever done to possibly deserve what she had been put through for the last four months. Her hands went to the clasp of her necklace. She unlatched and removed it from her neck. She then opened a pocket in her bag and placed it there. 

"Amy, are you okay?" she heard Ephram's voice ask her. Amy turned around to see him looking at her, this extreme degree of worry overtaking his face. She nodded.

"Yea, just bored," she said and rolled her eyes while placing a smile on her face. Ephram looked like he didn't believe her but nodded in some deep understanding and turned back around.


	18. and I own murasaki

"Here, listen to this," Jig said handing Ephram a set of headphones. They were sitting in Jig's room on her bed. Ephram placed the headphones around his ears and listened to the song for a few moments. He turned to her.

"What is this?" he asked her completely baffled. Jig grinned.

"It's the Sailor Moon theme in French," she told him. That surprised him.

"How'd you get this?"

"A friend recorded it for me when he went to France," she explained. That surprised him too.

"You have friends that go to France?" he asked her. From what Jig had actually told him of her life in LA, she wouldn't have friends who could afford to go to France. Jig nodded.

"One. He's been everywhere. Long story," she said.

"You have a lot of those," he told her. She nodded with a worried smile on her face. She turned away from him to the portable CD player in her hands. She pressed a button on it.

"This one is the Sailor Moon theme in German," she told him.

"How many different languages do you have this in?" he asked her.

"Five," she said proudly. Ephram listened to the song for awhile before turning to her again. 

"So, am I ever going to hear any of these long stories of yours?" Ephram asked her. Jig sighed and turned to him.

"I don't think you'd believe me," Jig told him. She stood up to walk away but he grabbed her arm. She turned and looked at him.

"I'd believe you."

It had been a week or so since the big snow fall, and already all of the snow was gone. It had been a premature snow and so melted quickly. Which was perfect because Halloween was that night and none of the children felt like walking around in a foot of snow. The decorations at the meeting hall were already being put up and Rose Abbott was orchestrating everything, including the orchestra. She was the deputy mayor in Everwood, which meant every year she got to be in charge of the "Mayor's" Halloween party. Pumpkins in every corner, gummy worms in every brownie, and a detached body part in every bowl of punch. Actually everything was going perfectly with the exception all but one band member was dressed as a skeleton. But they did have a spare costume for him. Everything was great. That made Rose incredibly happy, it meant she had plenty of time to go home and change into her costume. It was the type of costume that needed time to get into. 

"Trick or treat!" Delia and Murasaki yelled in unison. The woman at the door smiled and placed pieces of candy in both the cat's and witch's bag. Dr. Brown and Murasaki's father stood at the sidewalk waiting for their daughters to return. 

"It's nice to see Murasaki with a friend," Murasaki's father told Dr. Brown.

"They do certainly seem to be getting along," Dr. Brown responded. Murasaki's dad smiled and extended his hand.

"I'm Genji," he introduced. Dr. Brown shook his hand.

"Andy."

"It's nice to meet you Andy."

"Yea, you too. Oh, wait, I get it… Genji, Murasaki. I like it," Dr. Brown said. Genji laughed.

"Thanks. You know, there aren't a lot of people in Everwood who would get that," Genji told him. Dr. Brown shrugged. 

"I had to read it in college. I rather enjoyed it."

"Really?" Genji said leaning in, "I _hated_ it."

"Then why did you read it?" Dr. Brown asked him curiously. 

"It's the heritage, you know… Hey kids! How'd you do?" Genji switched as the witch and cat ran over to them. 

"She gave us Skittles!" Delia answered. 

"The big bags or the small bags?" Genji asked her.

"The small bags."

"Oh well, that's not bad. Where do you want to go next?" Genji asked them. Murasaki turned to Delia.

"Do you want a bag of potato chips, or suckers?" Murasaki asked her.

"Potato chips," Delia answered.

"This way!" Murasaki said pulled Delia away by her wrist.

"Where are they headed?" Dr. Brown asked Genji.

"The Danders," Genji answered and the two fathers walked off in that direction. 

Ephram was in his room cleaning off the last bits of lint and dust from his cloak. He set it on the hanger and looked at himself in the mirror. He straightened his jacket, ran a hand through his hair, and then tied the cloak around his neck. He picked up the mask and put it on. He made sure it was on securely before he walked out of his room. As he left his room he saw Delia and his dad entering the house. Delia rushed over to him to show him all of the candy she had gotten.

"Hey you look great Ephram. Watch her while I go change. Don't let her eat any of that candy," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram nodded. Once Dr. Brown was out of sight Ephram opened Delia's bag and peeked in.

"You get any Tootsie Rolls?" he asked her.

Desi stood at her parents' side as they greeted the guests. Every year her parents were the same thing. They were Othello and Desdemona from Shakespeare's Othello. That's where she got her name from. This year Desi was an angel. She had a flowing satiny, light blue spaghetti strapped dress that went to her knees. She wore golden slippers that wrapped up her shins, and a pair of feathery wings. Sitting nicely in her curly red hair was a sparkling halo. She heard her father burst out in mandatory joy as Harold and Rose Abbott walked into the room. Desi glanced over and saw the couple dressed as George and Martha Washington. 

"Rose! You did an _excellent_ job here! This has to be the best ever! I know you never _have_ to do this, but honestly, I can't imagine anyone doing it but you!" Desi's dad complemented her. Rose pretended to blush and complemented him back. In politics everyone loves everyone, even the people they hate. In truth Rose Abbott and Desi's dad hated each other's guts. Watching them being nice to each other gave Desi a slight nausea in her stomach. The feeling wasn't so much by their exact words, but the fact that she knew she had done the same motions with people. The Abbotts passed her and then Desi noticed Amy was with them. She was dressed all in red complete with a hooded cape. It was a hood for riding, actually. But it wasn't little. Desi smiled at her and waved her hand slightly, and Amy smiled back. It wasn't a real smile, it was a courtesy smile since they were going to go to the Gordon House in about an hour. 

Amy pulled the cape around her tighter as her parents dispersed into the crowd. She looked around first for Jig or Ephram, but then she looked around for Taylor or Andrea. It's hard enough to find people in a crowd, but it's even harder when half of the people are wearing masks. 

"Amy?" she heard a voice call her. She turned around and saw the Phantom of the Opera. It took her about a second to realize the Phantom was actually Ephram. She smiled.

"Wow, you look great," she told him. He grinned.

"You too."

"Where's your dad?" she asked him. Ephram laughed a little and pointed through the crowd. She followed his finger with her eyes and saw his father standing over by the food. She let out a small laugh. Dr. Brown was dressed as Robin Hood. Complete with green tights and bow with quiver.

"Yea, I know. I tried to talk him out of it. He just liked the symbolizism too much. Or the bow and arrows, I don't remember," Ephram said and Amy laughed a little. 

"That's okay. Both of our fathers are wearing tights tonight," Amy said pointing to her parents. Ephram nodded.

"Washington?" he asked her.

"Yea. Next year he intends to be John Adams."

"How patriotic."

"How _weird._ Anyway, Taylor's flagging me down. See you and Jig later?" Amy asked him. Ephram nodded and smiled as she walked away. Once she stopped turning back he dropped his smile. 

"Hey Edna! You look great!" a woman in front of him yelled waving her arms and walking over toward the entrance. Ephram looked and saw Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein's Monster walking into the room. Ephram watched them until they passed and looked for Jig. Only he didn't see her. A few more people entered and still, no Jig.

"Where is she?" he asked himself.

"Where's who?" he heard from beside him. He turned his head to see Jig standing next to him, a cup of cider in her hand. His eyes widened in surprise at her costume. Her hair was all tied up and pinned there with a tiny cap. Her dress was a shiny blue with a low-neck line, a brooch, lace edging, pleated satin, a white embroidered apron, and a quitted petticoat. Around her neck was a blue choker with a pendant sewed to it. Ephram noticed his mouth was gaping open and closed it.

"You, you look great! Where'd you get that?" he asked her. She smiled and did a turn for him.

"Amy gave it to me. She said she bought it but decided not to wear it, so she gave it to me. It's nice, huh?" Jig explained. 

"It's beautiful. It looks, warm…"

"Oh it is. I'm wearing like, seven layers," Jig said with a laugh.

"That's only two more layers than usual," he joked. She laughed.

"Hey, you look good. Dark mysterious organ player, it suits you. Where'd you get the mask anyway?" she asked him. Ephram paused.

"My mom made it," he answered. Jig paused this time.

"She did a great job of it. And- oh my god, is your dad actually wearing tights?" Jig asked spotting Dr. Brown through the crowd. Ephram laughed.

"And a feather in his cap."

"You didn't make _too_ much fun of him, did you?" Jig asked him.

"_Just_ enough," he told her and she smiled. 

"Where's Delia? I thought she was coming too," Jig said looking around.

"Ah, change of plans. Delia's spending the night with her friend," Ephram said. His dad had dropped Delia off at Murasaki's house on the way here. Ephram hoped she was having a good time. 

"Well that's good. Listen I-" Jig said but suddenly ran off into the crowd. Ephram narrowed his eyebrows and turned around to see Wendell walking through the crowd toward him. Ephram sighed. Wendell was dressed as a frog, complete with a yellow crown on his forehead.

"Hey Brown," Wendell said rubbing his webbed gloves together, "seen my princess? I think she owes me a _kiss_."

"Jig went that way," Ephram said pointing in the opposite direction Jig went.

"Thanks," Wendell said walking off in the direction Ephram pointed. Ephram shook his head with a grin. Things were just not going well for Jig. 


	19. did anyone get the genjimurasaki bit?

Dr. Abbott took a sip from his cup of cider. He was standing over by the food tables as his wife went out to receive compliments. Casually he looked down at his drink and discovered a plastic fly floating in it. Disgusted he picked it out and flicked it away from him.

"Nasty little safety hazard," he murmured. 

"Enjoying yourself George?" Dr. Brown said walking up next to him and pouring himself a cup of cider. Dr. Abbott frowned. 

"Do you have _any_ idea how many upset stomachs I'm going to have to treat tomorrow?" Dr. Abbott complained. Dr. Brown smiled.

"Come on George, lighten up, it's Halloween."

"I _know_ it's Hallowe- will you _stop_ calling me George!" Dr. Abbott yelled. Dr. Brown chuckled slightly. 

"Sure, Mr. President," Dr. Brown said lifting his cup to him and walking away. 

"I'll just call you Mr. Hood then!" Dr. Abbott yelled after him before murmuring to himself, "Mr. Hood_lum_." 

Desi ran down her stairs carrying her black satchel and wrapped well in a white cloak. The satchel contained a wooden Ouija Board with pushboard, Planchette induction ring (to create a psychic space and link all participants in séance,) and psychic cleanser fluid (prepares and protects any table/surface/room by purifying prior to séance.) It also included specially hand-prepared séance candles, metal candleholders, vitalized séance incense (used to build a link with spirit entities/intelligences), and an incense burner. She had originally intended to only buy the cloak several years ago, but after she wore it to school some girls assumed she knew all about that sort of thing and asked her have a séance with them. She wasn't sure why she hadn't refused, she didn't know anything about séances. She read up on it when she got home of course. She reads a lot. 

Desi rushed outside to the minivan sitting in the circular driveway. Already inside of the car was Little Red Hiding Hood, the Phantom of the Opera, a rabbit, a witch, and a colonial girl. Desi, now wearing slacks and a bell sleeved shirt along with her cloak, stepped in and sat next to the Phantom. The rabbit, otherwise known as Taylor, was steering the van out of the gigantic driveway and into the heart of Everwood. Gingerly Desi looked at four of the five other occupants of the van. Ephram, whom she deduced to be the Phantom, was the only one she didn't feel like looking at. This wasn't exactly the professional side of her and therefore the worst for her story to see. This was actually the embarrassing thing the dumb bunny talked her into doing every year. Desi didn't have a single friend in that car, they were barely acquaintances. But here she was, why? because Halloween is a crummy holiday to spend at home alone. 

The Gordon House was everything it had been said to be. It was empty, huge, dark, and creepy as all hell. Ephram had been filled in on the story by the frog prince himself, who, by the way, never found his princess due to some clever avoidance tactics on Jig's part. The Gordon House was so named after Edward Gordon who killed his three siblings Douglas, Andrew, and Samantha at a family reunion about 70 years ago. Of course, as all murder/ house stories go, he chopped the bodies into little pieces and hid them in the house. Back in the 80's a girl thought she found a piece of a skeleton, and she had, only it was a chicken bone. She had her picture in the _Pinecone_ though. If someone found a human skeleton in NYC it probably wouldn't back the back page of any newspaper, unless it was like, _really _freaking old. 

There had probably been a lock to the front door, but years and years of kids sneaking in at night the lock, and indeed the entire handle, had been taken off, and the door just slid open with a loud creaking noise. Despite doing this every year, Taylor, Desi, Andrea, and even Amy clutched together, letting Ephram and Jig enter first. Jig, unlike her female companions, seemed to show no signs of fear with the exception of stepping and falling on her dress. Ephram smirked as the idea of her being on the look out for that raccoon of hers entered his mind. They heard another creaking noise coming from the room ahead of them and the six stopped immediately. They could hear the seasonal wind blowing around and through the old house but all six listened for another sign of something more. Another sign that they weren't alone. 

"BOO!" something yelled suddenly jumping out in front of them, a great light creating shadows on its face. All six yelled in surprise but only one did something about it. Uncontrollably Jig's fist flew forward skillfully and knocked Bright to the floor, the flashlight spinning away from him. Once he was down Amy shined her light on his face, now covered in blood spilling from his nose.

"Bright!" she yelled marching over to him. They heard some male laughter as three of Bright's friends walked into the room and found Bright laying there clutching his nose.

"Bright you moron what's wrong with you!" Amy scolded him.

"_She broke my nose_!" Bright yelled more in disbelief than pain. His friends continued laughing at him as Amy and Ephram helped him to his feet. 

"You deserved you sadistic little-!"

"Amy!" Andrea stopped her as Amy lead Bright out of the house. Amy touched Bright's nose and he yelled out in pain. She scoffed. 

"Yea that's broken, come on, we'll get you home."

Everyone left the old house except for Ephram and Jig, still a little shocked, and Desi, who had been the only one to think of picking up Bright's lost flashlight. 

"You broke his nose?" Ephram asked turning to Jig. Jig shrugged and laughed slightly in response. 

"Reflex action," she said.

"Nice reflexes," Desi said walking back over to them.

"Thanks," Jig said smiling a little. Desi nodded.

"We should probably get going. The four of them walked here so that van's going to fill up really soon," Desi told them.

"How'd you know they walked here?" Ephram asked her. Desi sighed.

"There were no tire tracks and that is the only road that leads here, plus there were already mud prints on the porch and if you didn't notice all of them were wearing hiking boots. Considering they were all pirates, I don't think the Timberlands were part of the costume," Desi explained. That more than sufficed Ephram and Jig so the three made their way toward the door. On the way there Desi's satchel broke and everything spilled out onto the floor. Ephram and Jig stopped to help her to pick up but Ephram waved Jig on.

"Go on, we'll catch up," he told her. Reluctantly she complied and walked out of the house and into the van, there being sent to the back. Taylor placed her key in the ignition and started the car.

"We have to wait for Ephram and Desi," Jig told her worried that she might leave them.

"My nose is broken!" Bright yelled at her, obviously placing his nose above their ride. 

"I'll come back and get them, I'm sure they'll understand," Taylor said.

"No, Jig's right Taylor," Amy said.

"Look, it's _my _mom's car and _I_ say we're not waiting," Taylor said and drove off not leaving time for anymore complaints from either of them.

Once they collected Desi's things, having to use Ephram's cape as a makeshift carrying device, the two walked on to the porch to see the van driving off. Surprised they both dropped the load to the ground. 

"Great," Ephram said with obvious sarcasm and turned around so not to look at the road, as if it were his enemy.

"I guess the van filled up," Desi said. Ephram turned to her.

"And how are _we_ supposed to get home, huh? Hail a cab? Take a bus?" he asked her. 

"They'll probably come back for us," Desi said. Ephram sighed.

"They'll forget about us. I don't know about you, but the majority of those people couldn't care less if I died," Ephram told her. Desi frowned. The percent was probably higher for her than it was her him. 

"So what, we walk?" Desi asked him. Ephram shrugged.

"It's better than waiting here," he said as they moved Desi's things back inside the house and removed Ephram's cape from it so he could tie it back around himself for warmth. He stood at the top of the stairs and motioned for Desi to go first. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her and started descending the steps. 

It was late and the party was almost over. The only people who remained were Dr. Abbott and his wife, along with the group of politicians she was talking to. Dr. Abbott sighed with boredom taking the last sip of the last cup of cider. He looked around. The entire hall was a disaster zone. Confetti and garbage formed layers on the floor, and every balloon had lost its float and now sat on the ground, being moved by the slightest bit of breeze. The majority of the people having left and the spirit of Halloween having left with them, Dr. Abbott removed his wig and scratched his head. That thing had been itchy since he put it on. He began walking over to his wife to tell her he was leaving when he heard a familiar 'Dad!' being yelled. He turned over to see a rush of teenagers running over to him, his own in the lead. Amy was leading Bright, who had his head leaning back and a bloody cloth clutched to his nose. Filled with parental worry he rushed over to them.

"What happened?" he demanded, hearing an 'oh my God!' as if wife saw the children.

"Jig broke his nose," Amy told her father.

"What?" he demanded surprised.

"Look, it's a long story, but he kind of needs help now." 

"My nose is broken!" Bright yelled to the ceiling as if the news was new.

"Yes, yes of course. Come here," Dr. Abbott said leading his son in a direction with more light.

"The rest of you, go home!" he instructed. They all agreed and turned to leave much to Jig's surprise. Once she got over her surprise well enough to speak Ephram's name in remembrance, they had all gone. She turned to the Abbott family but they all seemed too worried about the well being of Bright's nostrils to care about the two stranded. 

Desi and Ephram walked side by side down the old muddy road. It had been an hour and with the exception of the wood's natural inhabitants, they had seen no sign of life. The leaves had fallen and the wind and blown and covered up all signs of car tracks, which evidently Desi knew how to follow. It was getting darker too. Unlike the classic Halloween where the moon was full, the moon under which the two walked was waning, and very near new. But as the light grew dimmer their eyes adjusted and saw their way well enough, assuming they knew where they were headed. Finally, after following the single path for so long, the two came upon a fork in the road. It was there that they came across the biggest trouble. 


	20. The Tale of Genji is the 1st novel ever ...

Dr. Abbott unlocked his office door and ushered his family inside. His wife showed his children into one of the rooms and Dr. Abbott walked into a different room to get what he'd need to fix his son's nose. He looked down at his hands and parental worry filled his heart as he saw his son's blood on them. Suddenly Dr. Abbott's beeper went off. He groaned as he picked it up and looked at it. 

"On no, not _now_…" he said. Tionè was going into labor and was in too much pain to leave the house. Dr. Abbott looked in the direction where his son was. He sighed and picked up his cell phone. He dialed a number and was preparing himself to have the one conversation he'd rather die then have. 

Dr. Brown vowed that night never to wear tights again. Who ever came up with idea of tights must have been _very_ drunk. Dr. Brown walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of milk. Delia was gone for the night and Ephram would probably be out late with his friends. Dr. Brown paused when a thought occurred to him. His 15-year-old son was out, in the middle of the woods, at night, with _five girls_… It was a good thing Dr. Brown trusted his son, mostly. The phone rang and Dr. Brown picked it up.

"Hello?" he asked into it. 

"I need you to come down to my office," Dr. Abbott's voice said.

"What?" Dr. Brown asked smiling in surprise.

"I need you to come down to my office and fix my son's broken nose. A patient of mine is giving birth to twins and I can't do two things at the same time. So if you could just forego the wisecracks and come set my son's nose," Dr. Abbott told him. 

"I'll be right there," Dr. Brown said and hung up. 

Ephram and Desi stood at the fork in the road and looked down both sides. Ephram scratched the back of his head and turned to Desi, who was biting her lower lip. 

"Which way?" he asked her. Desi turned to him a little worried. 

"Well, um, let's see," she said pulling Bright's flashlight out of her pocket and shinning it down both roads and along the ground. After a few minutes she turned the flashlight off and placed it back in her pocket.

"Well?" he asked her. She turned back to him worried.

"Well, uh, one road is a mile to Everwood, and the other is five miles to the abandoned chicken farm," she said and paused, "but I don't know which is which."

Ephram turned an obviously displeased look to her.

"How can you know _so much_, but not know which road leads where?" he asked her. Desi shrugged and Ephram turned away from her scoffing. Angry he turned back to her.

"You planned this didn't you! You told them to leave us so you and I could 'bond' or something and you'd get your story, _didn't you_?" he accused her. Desi's lost look was replaced by that of one more defensive.

"Oh yea Ephram! I planned for them to abandon us out here like this so we could walk for miles in the dark and so I could freeze my ass off! _And_, as you can probably imagine, Jig and Amy went _right along_ with it! You know, I need a little help with my story title, how about 'The Morning I Was Found Frozen to Death With Ephram Brown!' Personally _I_ think it needs a _little_ work, how about _you_?" Desi yelled at him. Ephram exhaled and turned away from her. Desi scoffed and turned away from him too, wrapping herself tighter in her cloak. Eventually Ephram sighed and turned back around to her. 

"How about 'The Night I Walked Safely Home with Ephram Brown?'" he asked her. She turned around and nodded. Ephram sighed and looked back to the two roads. 

"So, which one do we take?" he asked her. Desi sighed and looked at the roads too. 

"Um, well, we could, always, uh, sit down," Desi said walking over and sitting on a log in defeat. Ephram sighed and walked over to her.

"You're going to get your cloak dirty," he told her.

"I don't care. I'm cold, and lost, and that damned noise is getting to me! What is that?" Desi yelled looking behind her. Her outcry brought Ephram's attention to the loud tapping noise coming from somewhere in the forest. 

"What _is_ that?" Ephram asked walking over to her. Desi stood up when he reached her and looked out into the woods with him. 

"I don't know but it's getting on my _nerves_," Desi said. 

"Well let's just forget about it and get back to the road," Ephram said. As the two turned around, an owl, upset by their presence, flew from its tree and right at Ephram and Desi. They both yelled in surprise and jumped backward onto the steep hill that descended from the road they were on. 

"_There_ you go, how does it feel now?" Dr. Brown asked Bright. Bright was sitting up on a table with an uncomfortable bandage on his nose. His mother and sister stood on either side of the table, watching him worriedly. If one had been observing the scene and taking special note of the mother and daughter pair, there were many similarities to be seen. Each bit her lower lip, tugged at her dress, and shifted nervously from side to side. 

"It feels better Dr. Brown," Bright told him with the same, slight tone of distaste which his father used when addressing the neurosurgeon. 

"Good. Now if you just… well, I'm sure your father will make sure you heal alright," Dr. Brown told him.

"Thank you so much Andy," Rose told him. Dr. Brown waved it off.

"It was nothing. How _exactly_ did you break it again?" Dr. Brown asked him. Bright frowned. 

"Karma," Amy responded for him with a grin on her face. 

The steep hill was about fifty feet down and Desi and Ephram tumbled every foot of it. Desi got up from where she lay and onto her hands and knees. She was covered in mud and her clothes and hair were filled with leaves and twigs. She looked over to her left to find the flashlight lying on the ground, smashed beyond repair. She breathed in heavily, regaining the air she had lost. Once she felt safe to move without pain she looked up and saw Ephram sitting up against a tree. His clothes were about in the same shape hers were in, but his mask had been lost somewhere from the fall. Desi groaned as she got to her feet and walked over to him. When she got close she found him clutching his right forearm. His face looked like he was in pain and the better look she got at his arm, the better she saw the fragment of wood lodged in it and the blood on his white shirt. She knelt at his right side and looked around for a sharp stone. She found one and used it to cut his sleeve off at the elbow. She cringed seeing just the wood jutting into his skin.

"This is going to hurt," she warned him as she grabbed his wrist with one hand and the wood fragment with the other, and pulled. Ephram yelled in pain and Desi almost joined him. She threw the piece of wood away from them and took the sleeve she had cut off and wrapped his arm. The sleeve wasn't enough so she took the same sharp stone and cut off a strip from her cloak and wrapped that firmly around his arm. With his other arm Ephram pushed himself up into a better sitting position against the tree. He looked at his right arm as he moved it stiffly. He opened and closed his hand and was surprised by how much it hurt. He turned to her and smiled.

"Thanks," he said. She smiled too.

"You can thank me when we get you to a doctor," she said standing up. She offered him her right hand and he grabbed with his left and together Ephram got up. They were standing at the bottom of one hill, and another twice as tall loomed in front of them. But to either side was a long valley through the middle of which ran a small creek. With no more trees to hide them, the stars and the moon were able to shed light enough to see well on Ephram and Desi. Ephram turned to her.

"Now where do we go?" he asked her. Desi, not really used to being in charge of important situations, looked back up the hill they had fallen down.

"Well, we could try climbing back up, but I'm not a good climber and I doubt you'd get very far with that arm, so, um, I suppose we, just, go _that way_," Desi said pointing down the valley. Ephram looked where she was pointing. It would have been the direction one of the roads they could have taken. Now they didn't really have a choice.

When Jig walked into her house to tell Irv and Edna that they needed to go pick up Ephram and Desi, as well as call Dr. Brown to tell him, she discovered the house empty and Dr. Brown not at home, or at least not picking up the phone. It was almost one o'clock, how could no one be home? How could her 70-year-old legal guardians be out so late? Now fully distressed for her friend's well being, she called the Abbotts. No one was home their either. They were probably still getting Bright's nose fixed. Jig was tempted to call the Quincampoix household but she knew there was no way to get _that_ number. She paced back and fourth across the living room floor quickly. This was all _her_ fault. If she hadn't gone and broken Bright's nose, Ephram and Desi would probably be in bed right now. _She'd_ probably be in bed right now. Neither of them were the out doors type, what if they got lost? What if they fell asleep and froze to death? What if a rabid raccoon ripped their throats out with its teeth! It could happen! Maybe! Maybe Jig was overreacting… But she would not let Ephram and Desi spend the entire night in the woods. She really needed to find Edna and Irv.

Another hour had passed and Ephram and Desi found themselves walking up a gentle hill. Ephram was in the lead and tired, but forced his long legs to move. Desi, not used to walking many places thanks to her father's limo, was tired and felt like she was half dead. 

"I gotta stop!" she yelled bending over and dropping herself on the grass. Ephram turned around and walked back. He then sat down next to her with a sigh. He listened as she caught her breath and they looked out at the dark scene. The hill they were on had been inclining for some time and gave them a nice view of the valley. Ephram had to imagine what it'd be like in the daylight. Ephram turned his attention to Desi as she was still breathing heavily. He chuckled slightly at her. Hearing this she turned to him, and a smile lifted the sides of her mouth.

For awhile Ephram, his features, his voice, the way the entire bottom half of him moved when he walked, all of him had reminded her of someone. She had never been sure of whom, but his chuckling filled her in.

"That's right, I shouldn't have forgotten that. You _are_ like him," Desi told Ephram. He looked at her with a curious smile on his face, the smile being the remains of his chuckling. 

"Like who?" Ephram asked, hoping she wasn't about to say 'your father.'

"My older brother," Desi said with a full sigh. Ephram was relieved and yet still curious. No one had ever mentioned the Mayor having a son. 

"You have a brother?" he asked her curiously. Desi paused before answering him.

"You know… _you know_ how everyone seems to have this great _tragedy_ in their life?" she asked him, not looking at him. He knew that very well, but she didn't seem like she'd care if he answered. She turned to him now.

"Christopher's mine. He _died_ about six years ago. He went to college in New York City, got _mugged_, got _shot_, got sent back here in a _wooden box_," Desi told him. Ephram fell silent. I had to be New York, didn't it? The two remained silent for awhile until Desi started talking again. 

"I was Delia's age when Christopher died. He was _all_ I had in the world. My dad does nothing but _politics_ and my mom does nothing but _talk on the phone_. When the press wasn't around Christopher was the _only one_ who remembered I _existed_. Christopher was the one who made sure I _ate_ when I needed to, _smiled_ when I needed to, and _cried_ when I needed to. For the past six years I've gotten up and walked around, but I'm _dead_ inside…" she said and paused, "do you know how _important_ you _are_ to Delia?"

Ephram looked down to the ground at the question. He had never thought of _exactly_ how important he was to Delia's life, now that their mom was dead. 

"You need to make sure you stay _okay_ Ephram, you can't go off and do anything stupid that might get you _killed_. You need to be safe for _Delia_," Desi told him. He looked at her and nodded.

"I know that," he said. Desi smiled. They were silent again before Desi spoke.

"But I'll make you a promise, Ephram Brown, if anything should happen to you, _I'll_ make sure Delia eats, and smiles, and cries," Desi promised him. That promise took him off guard. As far as he knew, Desi had never even _met_ Delia let alone grown _attached_ to her. But Ephram knew Desi's promise wasn't meant to make _him_ feel better, it was meant to let _Desi_ know that she could help stop the pain she felt from happening again.

"_Thanks_, but I don't intend on getting myself killed," he said standing up. Desi stood up too.

"Good to hear," she said. Ephram turned and started his way back up the hill.

"Ephram!" Desi yelled after him. Ephram stopped and turned back to face her, "I didn't plan this, honestly."

Ephram smiled, "I know."


	21. It was written by Murasaki Shikibu

__

Finally Edna and Irv got home. It ends up another party had started and Edna had dragged Irv there. When they got home they received a quick lecture from Jig about staying out late on a school night, but were then filled in about Ephram and Desi's abandonment. Edna removed her wig and called up Dr. Brown. By now Dr. Brown had finished with Bright's nose and had returned home and decided to watch TV instead of worrying about Ephram. He was trying to have more faith in his son and sadly this was not a situation to do so. After Edna's phone call his worries greatened into those that were similar to Jig's. Dr. Brown only felt better once the school bus pulled up in front of his house and he boarded it. He was surprised to find Edna and Irv half in costume, and Jig still completely dressed for a colonial ball. 

Irv knew the way to the Gordon House from several years of sneaking there in his childhood. When he pulled the bus up in front of the old house Jig and Dr. Brown ran off of it and over to the porch, yelling the two names. Inside the house Dr. Brown moved the flashlight in every direction until the light fell on Desi's séance equipment in the corner. Jig searched the rest of the downstairs while Dr. Brown searched upstairs, creating an eerie noise echoing downstairs for Jig to hear. Outside Edna and Irv were calling around for Desi and Ephram. Realizing the two were no where near the Gordon House the four got back into the bus and started combing the woods alongside the road. 

When they got the fork in the road Jig yelled out for Irv to stop when her flashlight hit something. Irv stopped the bus and Jig ran off of it, followed by the other three. Carefully Jig made her way about ten feet down the hill, trying not to fall and trying not to take her eyes off of what she thought she saw. By the time she reached it the bottom of her dress was ripped and torn and she had several small scratches on her calves. She was both happy and horror stricken when she held what she had seen in her hands. She had been right. Her flashlight had reflected off of the pure white of Ephram's facemask. Jig's trip back up the steep hill was harder than going down it, and she slipped a few times before reaching the top. She handed Dr. Brown the mask and he looked at it much the same way Jig had. He turned to Irv.

"Is there a road that leads down there?" he asked him. Irv shook his head.

"The closest thing is the road to the abandoned chicken coop. It's about five miles long and gets you a great view of that valley," Irv told him.

"Let's take it," Dr. Brown said getting on the bus. 

"How's your arm doing?" Desi asked Ephram as they continued to climb up the now rocky hill. She asked him because she saw him moving his fingers and cringing from the pain. He sighed.

"It feels better. But I don't know if that's because it's healing, or because it's numb from the cold," Ephram told her. Desi walked over to him and started rubbing her hands quickly over his to warm them up. Ephram was a little surprised by the contact and act of kindness, but his fingers were enjoying the warmth too much to voice his surprise. She stopped after a few moments, her hands now warmer too, and they continued to climb the hill. After a few more minutes of climbing a smile of relief fell on both of their faces. They had reached a road. It was mostly mud and covered in leaves but it was level for quite some way down both sides. 

"Look!" Desi said pointing down one side to an old wooden building nestled in a gathering of trees. 

"Is that the Gordon House?" Ephram asked her, it being too dark and him being too tired to see it very well. 

"No," Desi said with a smile, "it's the abandoned chicken coop."

Ephram sighed, smiling too.

"So all we have to do, is take this road _this_ way until we reach that fork in the road, and then we take the _other_ road into Everwood?" he asked her excitedly. Desi nodded.

"Yea! That's all we have to do! Well, actually we have to do _something_ first," Desi told him. Ephram's mood depressed slightly at the idea of there being another obstacle.

"What?" he asked her.

"_We need to sit down_," she told him sitting down exactly where she stood. He laughed and joined her. 

The yellow school bus moved slowly along the road, its driver looking carefully at the road while its three passengers searched the wide view of the valley. Their eyes were tired but still studious of every tree and rock they passed. If Dr. Brown lost Ephram now, he didn't know what he'd do. Losing the woman he loved was enough, but losing his only son, his first born child, one of the two important contributions Dr. Brown made to the world, that would be too much. Too much for him, and too much for _Delia_. He needed to find Ephram, and he needed to find him _safe_. Suddenly they heard Irv honking the horn and the three sets of eyes moved off of the valley to the road. The bus stopped and two figures walked into the range of the headlights. Both figures were waving their arms in joyous celebration at seeing the bus. The bus doors opened and everyone on board ran out toward them. Jig, being supported by youthful legs, reached the couple first. She wrapped herself around Ephram's shoulders and hugged him tightly. He laughed in surprise and joy at being found, but also happy that she missed squashing his bandaged arm. She leaned off of him for a second and held his neck in her hands and looked at it.

"No raccoon bites!" she yelled happily and hugged him again. She then moved off of him as the others reached them and she hugged Desi. This took Desi completely by surprise, not thinking anyone would miss _her_. Jig leaned off of her and checked her face and neck for any marks or cuts. Dr. Brown gave his son a big hug that Ephram was pretty surprised about. He was surprised his father didn't break any of his ribs… Dr. Brown checked over Ephram's face and neck just as Jig had done, but, unlike Jig, Dr. Brown noticed the bloodied bandage. 

"Ephram what happened?" Dr. Brown asked worriedly examining the bandage. 

"Oh, it's nothing. I got this, splinter of wood, in my arm. But, Desi pulled it out and wrapped it for me. It doesn't really hurt that much anymore," Ephram reassured him. Dr. Brown finished examining the bandage and looked at Desi.

"You wrapped this?" he asked her. She nodded. 

"Yea," she said meekly. Those were the first words she ever exchanged with the great Dr. Brown. 

"You did a good job, thank you," Dr. Brown said. Desi smiled.

"Come on, let's get you two home," Irv said wrapping a blanket around Ephram's shoulders and one around Desi's.

Once on the road back to Everwood, Jig turned to Ephram who was sitting next to her in the bus seat. She had a wearied smile on her face and Ephram had his head back and his eyes closed, but not asleep. 

"Here," Jig told him. Ephram opened his eyes and looked at her. His eyes then looked down at her hands to see her returning his Phantom mask. Ephram smiled and took it from her. He had been sure it had been broken and lost forever.

"Thanks," he told her and she nodded. The response was small for the returning of such a priceless item, a gift made by his mother, but it was all that needed to be said between them. 

Of the six, Desi was the one to get home first. She walked into the house met by a few guards who didn't question her long absence, appearance, or lack of satchel like a normal person would and should have. She walked up to her room, her parents already fast asleep. She hung her tattered, muddied, bloodied cloak on a hanger and then removed the rest of her clothes. It was half past two in the morning and she was dead tired, but she knew she wouldn't sleep without a shower. Once clean of all dried on dirt and leaves, and once all of the twigs were removed from her hair, Desi dressed in her nightgown. She walked over to her dresser and for some reason just stared at herself in the mirror. That night had to be the scariest, most horrifying, most _exhausting_ night of her life. But she got through it. She fell down a hill, she wrapped a bloody arm, and hiked up entire hill for _hours_ in the dark and cold. Yet there she was, clean and perfect looking. Her eyes turned from her reflection, not liking the image any more, and onto a picture frame on her dresser. She only had one picture worth putting into a frame. It was of her, six, maybe seven years old with a bright smile on her face. The smile was due to the sixteen, maybe seventeen year old boy who was holding her. He was smiling widely. Desi remembered why she always loved that picture of Christopher. It was the only picture that she had ever seen that really captured the sparkle in his eyes when he smiled. Desi closed her eyes and walked over and got in her bed. It had been a _long_ night. 

Inside of Dr. Brown's office, Ephram and Jig cringed when Dr. Brown removed the makeshift bandage. Dr. Brown was a doctor and used to seeing such things. Edna was a _retired army nurse_ and _overly_ used to seeing such things. Irv, was constantly surrounded by kids who didn't know the meaning of the words 'slow down,' and was used to seeing such things. Dr. Brown was slightly worried by the wound, not so much by the state of it, but by the fact it was his son who had it. Carefully Dr. Brown cleaned the wound, Ephram trying not to cringe from the stinging iodine. When the wound was cleaned and wrapped with Ephram otherwise checked out for signs of severe blood loss or anything else Dr. Brown could think of being wrong with him, Irv gave the father and son a ride home before returning his eclectic family home. 

Dr. Brown went straight to bed, not realizing before how tiring parental worry could be. Ephram, not realizing how he copied Desi's actions, took a shower. First he had wrapped his forearm in plastic so it wouldn't get wet of course. Walking back into his room and changing, a thought occurred to him. It had been _Jig_ who had started a search for him and Desi, _not _Amy. Ephram sighed disappointedly and sat down on his bed. He guessed he shouldn't be _too_ surprised that Amy had forgotten about him. She had _Bright_ to worry about, not to mention about _a hundred_ other things. At this point, Amy had probably been asleep for hours. Ephram smiled a little imaging Amy resting peacefully in her no doubt beautiful and comfortable bed. He was imagining Sleeping Beauty. Only for Amy's case it was reversed, the Prince had been the one asleep. What an odd notion. 

When Irv, Edna, and Jig entered their house, Irv went immediately to wipe the green paint off of his face before it did any permanent work. Edna and Jig sighed in unison as they sat down on chairs opposite each other in the living room. They both laid there in happy silence until Edna spoke up.

"So, how'd it feel breaking your cousin's nose?" Edna asked her and Jig let out a tired laughed. 

"It felt better then _not _breaking it," Jig said and Edna chuckled. As long as Bright healed well Edna was fine. Her grandson probably deserved it anyway. 

"Come on, it's been a long day, let's go to bed," Edna said standing up. Jig waved her on as if in agreement, but was already half asleep and therefore in no mood to actually move. Edna laughed slightly and headed for the stairs. 


	22. in the year 1001 in Japan

Ephram Brown was still tired from the long night before and when he woke up that morning his arm was sore. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt so no one at school noticed the bandage. As Ephram trudged through the hallway he passed by the girl's bathroom. He stopped walking and turned back to the door to hear yelling coming from inside. Curious to listen but unable to make out any words from where he was, Ephram took a few steps closer to the door. That action he took as a mistake in judgement when the door opened and hit him in the head. He yelled slightly and took a few steps backward. 

"Ephram!" Jig yelled as she stormed out of the bathroom. He looked up at her, his hand on his head.

"I'm okay," he reassured her. 

"Ephram!" Amy yelled walking out of the bathroom behind Jig. Jig looked back at her, scoffed, and walked away from her in a hurry. Amy watched her leave worriedly before turning to Ephram.

"Ephram no one told me you and Desi didn't get picked up! I thought Taylor had picked you up! I swear Ephram I didn't know! If I had know I would ha-!" Amy told him.

"I, I know," Ephram said raising his left hand to stop her from continuing. Amy looked so desperate for him to believe her she had to be telling the truth, not that he ever doubted her. 

"Ephram I-"

"It's okay, Amy, _really_. Don't worry about it. It worked out fine," Ephram reassured her and walked off. Amy placed her hand on her mouth in worry. 

Delia and Murasaki sat across from each other at their lunch table. Neither of them had a lunch, and both had their heads resting on their arms that were folded on the table. Delia found out it had been true, Murasaki _did_ know where to get the best candy, and the quickest route between the houses. She was so right, in fact, that this morning both of them were sick to their stomachs. Any sudden move might send one of them rushing to the bathroom. Normally the cafeteria food would give anyone a stomachache, but today, for the former witch and cat, it would give a free trip to the school nurse. Delia let out a pained moan and Murasaki replied with the same. The big problem was, after lunch they had play rehearsal. The two of them were sick from an overdose of candy, and for the next hour they would _be_ candy. Two giant gumdrops. Two, giant, _singing_, gumdrops. Things are just _not right_ with the world. 

Charlene and Gerald were the names finally chosen for the twins. They were both born perfectly fine and healthy. Every time Dr. Abbott helped deliver a baby, he was positive it was the most beautiful baby he had ever helped to deliver. Though, in this case he had to admit, he had a preference for Charlene over Gerald, even though she was born first. Charlene just had this little smile always on her face, while Gerald just looked around like he didn't want to be here. Charlene looked curious. 

"Hey Doc," Earl said walking over to him. Dr. Abbott was standing in his office, thumb tacking a picture of Charlene and Gerald he had been given to his board. That board held baby pictures going back six, maybe seven years. Earl walked right up to Dr. Abbott and Dr. Abbott cleared his throat nervously. Earl was a _very_ tall man. He had been on the varsity basketball team back when he was in high school, he was still a sort of legend because of it. Earl saw the picture of his new children on the board and smiled.

"They're cute, huh? Quiet too, sleep all night," Earl said. Dr. Abbott frowned.

"Quiet?" he asked a little worried. Earl turned back to the doctor and laughed shaking his head.

"No, not _that_ kind of quiet. Don't worry, we had that checked out," Earl reassured him. 

"Oh," Harold said nodding and smiling. It had been a fear of theirs that the twins would take a _certain aspect_ from their mother. 

"Anyway, Tionè and I are taking the twins for a walk around town, and I just wanted to stop by and say thanks," he said extending his hand. Dr. Abbott shook it.

"It's just my job," he said. Earl shook his head.

"No, Doc. Going through the mechanics is a job, but you really helped us when we were worried," Earl told him. Dr. Abbott nodded.

"Hey, walk around down? The Presentation?" Dr. Abbott asked him. In Everwood it was tradition for all new babies to be taken around town to all of the stores and people. Earl nodded.

"Yea. We met Nina out there, the women are talking," Earl said bobbing his head with a smile. Dr. Abbott smiled too. Earl and Tionè were so young, but he had a feeling they'd be okay. In Everwood, everyone was always okay. 

"Anyway, thanks again Doc."

"No problem, Earl," Dr. Abbott called after the tall man as he jogged away. With a slight smile Dr. Abbott turned back to the picture of the new twins. 

Ephram walked into History class to find Jig laying on her desk. The way she was laying, with her face down and her arms dangling over the edge, he half expected an arrow to be coming out of her back. He walked over and sat down in his desk. Amy was sorry, Jig was angry, and Desi had been avoiding him all day. Ephram needed some _guy_ friends, soon. _Really_ soon. Girls were getting too complicated. Three of them too, three girls were his only friends, unless you count Wendell, which Ephram usually didn't like doing. Wendell was weirder and more frightening than the three girls combined. That's one thing he missed about New York City, at least there people made sense. Figuring Jig wasn't in the mood for an anime debate Ephram leaned over his own desk. He then felt a sharp stab in the small of his back and he snapped up. He turned around to see Jig retracting her pencil. He rubbed his back the best he could, it being a troublesome area to reach. 

"What?" he asked her. 

"Trunks or Goten?" she asked him. He sighed.

"Trunks, sword," he told her.

"Trunks, _purple hair_," Jig said pointing up at the top of Ephram's head. He grinned. 

"How about you, which one?"

"Trunks. He cut Freezer in half, very cool," Jig said, knowing he'd understand the degrading nickname for the despised villain. Ephram nodded.

"Sword," he repeated. Jig smiled.

"Yea, yea, sword, sword," she said. The entire class had already entered the room and settled down, when the door opened and a last child walked in. Jig's eyes went first to the stranger and she motioned with her head for Ephram to turn around. He complied and was awe struck at what he saw. 

Standing at six foot one, the lanky, oddly familiar looking boy glared angrily at the room. His perdition. Ephram, seeing the all too familiar face and movements flew from his seat to the floor and hid behind Jig's chair, covering himself with her extra coat. Confused, Jig twisted around and looked down at him. 

"Drop something?" the girl sitting behind Jig asked. Ephram turned around to see Desi looking down at him. He jumped. Neither he nor Jig had ever realized she was sitting there. She smiled, knowing he had never noticed her there before. 

"Ephram?" Jig asked him. He just held his finger to his mouth to silence her, or, rather, them both. The teacher took the note the boy gave him and sighed.

"My god it's like a plague," he said, now receiving his third new student for the year. One new student a year was odd, three was _bizarre_. He turned to the class.

"Okay, this is, what, Cory Cather? From, what's it say here? Buffalo. Cory from Buffalo, okay. There's a seat over there, no, wait, that's Brown's seat. Green! Where's Ephram?" the teacher asked Jig. She paused as ideas spun through her mind.

"He's, um, at his locker. He forgot his homework," she lied. The teacher nodded and was about to move on to something else when a fact hit him.

"But, I didn't assign any homework last night," he told her. Jig paused.

"Uh, right! It was homework for another class. He didn't do it, so he was going to do it in this class," she told him nervously. The teacher thought about it then nodded.

"Well, at least he's honest. Sit there," the teacher said pointing the boy to a seat on the opposite side of the room. The boy took his seat, keeping an angered gaze on Jig until the class started. 

Jig pulled Ephram out of the mainstream of students immediately after History. Desi followed them, half out of care, half out of genuinely unintentional sense of a story. She _was_ still head of the school newspaper. Ephram sighed and was about to explain everything to Jig, when the boy walked over to him. A glum expression on his face he studied Jig and then Desi, before turning his angered gaze to Ephram. 

"Hello _Brown_," he said with the same tone of voice as expression. 

"Hello _Cather_," Ephram replied the same. Cory looked again at Jig and Desi before walking off. Jig and Desi turned to Ephram, their confusion fully restored.

"An enemy of yours?" Jig asked him. Ephram sighed.

"Close, he's my cousin. But what the Hell is he doing here?" Ephram said, (the last part to himself,) as confusion took over any chance of him explaining to them. He walked away from the two stuck deeply in thought. Desi took a step closer to Jig as they watched him walk away.

"Cousin? Isn't that a little, _ironic_?" Desi asked her. Jig bit her lower lip and walked off in a different direction. 

Amy sat on the floor in the library, leaning her back against a case of books. She held her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. He hadn't wanted her to, but Amy had seen that bandage on Ephram's arm. Jig made a point of making sure Amy knew it was there when she yelled at her. Amy had never been yelled at like that before. Jig was so angry with her. She wasn't just mad at her because she forgot about them, Jig was mad at her for forgetting about _him_. Jig was taking everything so seriously, or, maybe, Amy wasn't taking it seriously enough. She didn't know. _She didn't know_! There was a time Amy felt like she knew _everything_. She knew how to act, how to talk, how to move, how to dress, she knew how to do everything the right way. Now she didn't know _anything_. She was so confused. She never felt like getting up in the morning anymore, but her parents always made her. She walked from class to class, never listening, never retaining anything. She just moved from place to place like some nomadic zombie. Suddenly there was a clamor in front of her and she looked up to see Jig sitting on the floor there, looking over a book in her hands.

"Tess of the d'Urberville's. Have you read it?" Jig asked her perfectly calmed, in great contrast to their encounter earlier in the day. Amy nodded her head. It had been on her summer reading list. 

"Thomas Hardy," Amy said just loud enough for Jig to hear her. 

"Is it any good?" 

"If you have a dictionary on hand," Amy replied and Jig laughed.

"Yea, I can see that," she said flipping through the pages. Amy smiled seeing Jig laugh. Jig was much nicer to look at when she was happy. When Jig was angry she was, _scary_. Amy reached her hand out and took the book from her second cousin's hands. Jig looked at her.

"Jig…" Amy started. 

"I didn't mean to get mad at you like that. When you do stuff like that, I know you didn't mean to, but when you do, it _hurts_ him. And, I don't know if you've noticed this, but Ephram _doesn't_ heal well," Jig told her. Amy nodded.

"How is his arm, anyway?" Amy asked her. Jig sighed. That wasn't the type of healing she was talking about, but Amy knew that.

"Oh it'll be _fine_. It's _disgusting_ looking, but it'll be fine. All _bloody_ and _gross_ with stuff _oozing_ out of i-"

"_I get it_! Jig. I get it, thank you," Amy said stopping her. Jig smiled and Amy smiled back.

"Friends?" Jig asked her.

"_Family_," Amy replied.

"Yea, Amy, but are we _friends_?" Jig asked her, obviously really needing to hear it. Amy nodded.

"We're friends, Jig." 


	23. i own orrie!

Ephram stood at his locker, casually banging his head on the metal. Cory was in Everwood. Why, _how,_ was Cory in Everwood? No good could come from this. Ephram did want to have more guy friends, but not _Cory_. Cory was not what he exactly had in mind. He never liked Cory, he hated Cory… And now Cory was here, in Everwood, and here Ephram was, banging his end on his locker. Brining his head back for a bigger 'thunk' he was stopped by the placing of a book in his path. The front of the book read "Cowboy Bebop." His eyes followed up the hand that was holding the book to a smiling face. Unlike Cory, this boy was only five eleven, Ephram's height, and of a much nicer disposition. Not to mention he had a better taste in reading material. Ephram smiled. With bad, there always came some good. 

"Hey man," the new boy said. They both leaned in and gave each other a small, masculine hug hello. 

"Orrie, finally! What the Hell's going on? What are you guys doing here?" Ephram asked him. Cory was Ephram's age, but Cory's older brother Orrie was 17 and the nicer of the two. 

"Mom moved us here, can you believe it?" Orrie told him. Ephram's eyes widened in surprise. 

"_Moved here?_ Does Dad know?" 

"How was lunch Doc?" Edna asked as Dr. Brown walked into his office. Dr. Brown hung up his coat and walked over to her desk. She handed him a few papers.

"It was good. Your son says 'hello,'" Dr. Brown told her. Edna laughed.

"Yea, _right_. There's a woman in there," she told him as he walked into his office. 

"So what's the problem today?" he asked entering his office and closing the door behind him. He finally turned to see the woman sitting in his chair. He yelled in surprise and took a few steps back. The handsome woman was dressed in a skirted suit showing off her long legs, and had wavy, dark brown hair. A sadistic smile took over her red lips. 

"Is that anyway to greet your big sister?" the woman asked standing up and walking over to him. Dr. Brown recollected his bearings.

"Uh, no, _no_. Sorry, you just surprised me. What are you doing here?" Dr. Brown asked her. 

"Well the idea of Andy Brown trying to raise two children on his own is, well, _laughable_, so I figured I'd come help you! That's what sisters are for, anyway," she said. 

"You're _moving_ here?" Dr. Brown asked in complete shock. 

"Yea, I brought the boys with me."

"You brought Orrie and Cory? Do their fathers know?" Dr. Brown asked. His sister had been known not to inform the boys' fathers about major life changes. His sister sighed.

"Oh, Curt is in Rome with _Maritza_, and I don't know _where_ Raymond is. He's touring the South Pole or something, I don't know. It's not like either of them care about their sons anyway. At least, not the ones they had with _me_," the sister said rolling her eyes.

"Star, I appreciate the thought, but I'm doing _fine._ Delia and Ephram are fine, they're both making friends and doing well in school. We're all _fine_. You didn't have to drag the boys here and quit your practice," Dr. Brown told her. Star frowned.

"Well, I didn't exactly _quit_ the practice. They kicked me out, the lousy-" Star started but Dr. Brown raised his hand to stop her.

"_Again_? Star that's the third time this-"

"I know how many! Besides, you needed a change, _I_ needed a change _too_. I can just start my practice _here_ anyway. Everwood looks _chock full_ of crazy people. That nurse of yours could fill up my entire schedule," Star told him. Dr. Brown laughed before clearing his throat to stop himself. 

"Star, you can't just pick up your entire family out of the blue and move to some small town out of- I'm not making a good case, am I?" Dr. Brown asked her. Star shook her head with a smile. 

"Face it baby brother, you're stuck with me. Now the boys and I are living on, what was, oh yea, _Bird Street_. Jesus what a name. Anyway, it's the big house at the end of the block there. Come by for dinner tonight, or we'll come over to you. Oh, that reminds me. I assume you know the name of a good house cook, we need one," Star told him.

"Uh, no I don't actually. _I_ cook," he told her and she started laughing. 

"Oh you always were funny Andy. _Anyway_, come by for dinner, bring the kids. I can't wait to see how Delia has grown," Star said grabbing her coat, opening the door, and walking out. Dr. Brown sighed, scratched the nape of his neck, and walked over to his desk. He sat down and started banging his head on his desk.

Jig walked through the hallway glumly. She had been out too late last night and today had been completely out of control. She needed sleep and she needed it now. She needed… not to be run into and pushed to the floor.

"Ow," she said from where she now sat in a lump on the cold hallway floor. 

"Oh hey, I'm sorry," she heard a guy say helping her to her feet. She waved it off, too tired to care. She looked at the guy she ran into and her eyes widened in surprise. He was quite a few inches taller than her with brown hair grown just longer enough to be tied behind his head, and the bluest eyes she had ever seen. He smiled at her and she felt her ability to speak leaving her. A few nonsense sounds left her mouth but that was all. 

"Jig are you okay?" she heard said. Jig's eyes moved away from the blue of this boy's eyes to the face of the one standing next to him. Her voice came back to her.

"Ephram?" she asked, realizing that the two were obviously walking together.

"Yea, hi, _are you okay_?" he repeated. She nodded, stealing a glance back at the first boy. 

"Good. Jig, this is my _other_ cousin Orrie Jackson. I think you'll like him," Ephram told her.

"I think I believe you," she said. That paused Ephram but he quickly went on talking.

"Orrie, what's Trowa's real name?" Ephram asked him.

"Triton Bloom, why?" Orrie replied. Ephram turned back to Jig.

"See, I told you you'd like him. You wouldn't believe the manga collection this guy has. He even speaks Japanese, right?" Ephram asked him. Orrie nodded.

"Hai, nihongo," Orrie said. Jig smiled.

"That's so cool," Jig told Orrie. Orrie smiled.

"Anyway, I'm showing him around, see you later?" Ephram asked her. She nodded, still looking at Orrie.

"Yea, yea, later," Jig told him. Ephram led Orrie down the hall and Jig fell against the locker closest to her.

"Hello my sweet," Wendell said walking up behind her and leaning on a locker too. Jig whined, fell to her knees, and crawled along the floor into the girl's bathroom. 

Desi walked down the hall as she jotted down a few ideas into her notebook. There was big news afoot. Ever year the senior class put on a play, _just_ the senior class. But this year, due to a low number of seniors, _anyone_ in high school could audition. They weren't sure which play they were doing yet, but the fact that it wasn't senior specific, _that_ was big news. _Headline_ worthy. Hell, it was almost _Pinecone_ worthy. Desi sighed. _This_ was the life she was trapped in. A world where a new stoplight on Main Street was worthy of a holiday. She needed a story to get her out of here. She really needed that Brown story. But, oh, there was a 'but' now… Desi needed there not to be a 'but,' but she had one. She was beginning to like Ephram Brown. Not _like _like him, but liking him enough not to write a story about him. She needed something big to write about, something to take the place of Ephram and his dad. Suddenly two guys burst out of the boy's bathroom as she approached it. They struggled in front of her, gathering everyone's attention. Desi narrowed her eyes as she recognized one of the guys. It was that Cory Cather guy, Ephram's cousin. His first day of school and he was in a fight? Suddenly the other guy in the fight swung Cory around and he flew into Desi, the both of them falling to the ground. Cory got off of her and back into the fight, leaving Desi to help herself up. She was picking up her notebook when a thought hit her. Maybe she could get a story out of this cousin… If he survived this fight, of course.

Amy and Jig walked down the sidewalk next to each other. It had snowed a little during the school day so they left footprints with each step and Jig wore an extra sweater. The both of them held a book in their hands.

"That was a lousy tactic, bringing up Tess when you know I love it. Especially since you've already read it," Amy told her.

"_Reading_ it. I'm _reading_ it," Jig corrected her. Amy smiled.

"So how far are you?"

"Just finished Angel's dream walking scene."

"Oh isn't that creepy?"

"He puts her in a stone coffin?" Jig asked questionably.

"Something like that. The thing I liked most about that scene, is when she's in her bed and he's wrapping her in the sheets. I just got this image of him just rolling her over like a sleeping bag."

"Really? I got that too. I was like 'Finally! He has a sense of humor!'"

"Hardy does seem to be a bit, sad. I thought people write because it makes them happy."

"Me too. We should probably ask Desi, she's a writer," Jig said. Amy looked at her curiously.

"Desi?" Amy asked her surprised. Jig nodded.

"Yea. Hey she helped Ephram, and made sure he was okay. That makes her _okay_ in my book," Jig said. Amy nodded. 

"I heard my name," Ephram said walking up behind them. Amy and Jig turned around and Jig felt her voice leave her again. They stopped walking as Ephram and Orrie walked up to them.

"Were you talking about me?" Ephram asked the two.

"No, we were talking about Desi, right Jig?" Amy said as if she needed Jig's conformation for Ephram to believe her. Jig moved her jaw but no words came out.

"Yea," she was eventually able to mutter. She then blinked whatever was in her out and she was sane again. She was well enough to notice Ephram and Amy sharing a slight smile at each other. Jig bit her lower lip and boldly walked over and grabbed Orrie's arm.

"So you're from Buffalo, huh?" she asked leading him across the street. Orrie was confused but not resistant.

"Uh, yea, yea," he said looking back at Ephram and Amy starting a conversation. Then he realized something.

"Oh! I get it. They have a thing going here," Orrie said once he and Jig were safely on the other side of the street. Jig sighed.

"Of soap opera proportions."

"Why? Why doesn't he just go for it. She looks interested," Orrie said.

"Yea well, she has a boyfriend," Jig told him. 

"Eh…"

"Who's in a coma…" Jig added.

"Eh!" Orrie said scratching the back of his head.

"Yea, it's like that."

"So how do you fit into all of this?" Orrie asked her.

"Oh, let's see. I'm Amy's, her's, second cousin, and Ephram's best friend. I think I've earned that title by now…"

"Just friends?" Orrie asked her smiling. Jig smiled back.

"Yea, we're just friends. Ephram's a sweet guy but he's so, oh he's so complicated. Especially with this Amy thing. I'll be happy when he gets past this."

"So you don't think it's true love?" Orrie asked her. Jig's mouth gaped open in surprise as to whatever ideas she had alluded to.

"I should probably just shut up now…" she said and he laughed.

"Oh come on, I'm his cousin, the _nice_ one…" he told her.

"I heard your brother got into a fight already?" Jig questioned him. Orrie sighed.

"Oh probably… He views this as a punishment for, well, never mind…" Orrie said. 

"So why are you guys here?" Jig asked him. Orrie sighed.

"Mom wanted to take care of her baby brother. Plus she got fired from her old practice…"

"She's a doctor?"

"Yeah. A shrink," he said. Jig laughed.

"You guys came to the right place."

"I hope so."


	24. and cory!

Author's Little Note Thingy Part 2:~ More swearing here. Four words this time instead of one.

Desi ran down the hall after Cory who was just walking out of the principal's office. He didn't look happy but she didn't care. He didn't care when she fell to the ground, she didn't care if he got his hand slapped because of it. 

"Hey wait up!" she called after him. There was no way he didn't hear her, the two of them being alone in the hallway, he just didn't respond. She frowned and quickened her pace. That spring she'd be on the track team. She finally caught up to him and tapped him gently on the shoulder. He turned to her sharply, a very angry expression on his pale face.

"What!" he demanded from her. She was taken aback for a few moments before speaking. He was _scary_. 

"My name is Desi Quincampoix and I work on the school newspaper. You're Dr. Brown's nephew, aren't you?" she asked, figuring getting to him through his relationship to Dr. Brown was better than through his relationship to Ephram. 

"Why do you care?" Cory asked continuing on his way. Desi kept pace.

"Well, Dr. Brown is usually note worthy around here, and I was wondering why his nephew would be in town. Did you move here?" she asked him, notebook in hand on the off chance he'd answer her. He turned to her again, still angry.

"It's none of your business," he more warned her than told her. She persisted anyway.

"If I only kept to things that were my business, I'd never have anything to write about," she told him. Now he stopped walking and with a very powerful arm shoved Desi hard against a locker and held her there.

"You are going to stay the Hell out of my face! I'm not fucking around here! I will not hesitate to beat the shit out of you! _Understood_?" he yelled at her. She nodded. He let her go and started walking down the hallway again. Desi remained where she had been placed, rubbing her shoulder. 

Orrie had been called home and Amy had just been called away by her friends who wanted to go shopping, and wanted to get her away from Ephram. Jig and Ephram were walking through the woods to Deerborn St. by a shortcut Ephram had found one day by accident. They weren't really talking much, but every now and then Ephram would snicker. He snickered when Jig would take a look behind them, no doubt searching for her raccoon friend. Finally Jig heard him snickering at her. 

"What you find so funny about my being stalked by a forest animal I'll never know," she told him. 

"Jig, you're _not_ being stalked by a raccoon! You're imagining it or something!" he told her. She shook her head and sighed.

"I'll _prove_ it to you someday," she warned him.

"Brown!" they heard yelled from behind them. Being in the middle of the woods they both turned around extremely surprised. This time Jig's sense of being followed was not imaginary, only it wasn't the overly friendly raccoon she had been expecting. It was the very quick Cory, whose one year in Boy Scouts taught him how to follow foot prints in the snow.

"Cory, what do _you_ want?" Ephram asked showing obvious distaste. He knew what Cory was like, and, not realizing it himself, he protectively took a step in front of Jig.

"This is bullshit and you know it here! If you weren't such a trouble I wouldn't have to be here!" Cory accused him. Ephram scoffed.

"_That's_ bullshit! You _can't_ be blaming me for you moving here!" Ephram said. Cory took a few steps closer to him.

"_Watch me_!" he said right into Ephram's face.

"Ephram, let's just go, come on," Jig said tugging on Ephram's coat sleeve. Ephram glanced back at her and then back into Cory's eyes.

"You're just _not_ worth it," Ephram said turning around and letting Jig lead him.

"I'm not worth it huh? Well at least my mother's still _alive_!" Cory yelled after him. Ephram stopped in his tracks and his hands balled into fists. He turned around, ready to ignore any of Jig's warnings, and charge at Cory. He felt like hollowing out his head. Ephram was about to charge when Jig ran past him at Cory. She started furiously to punch and kick Cory with terrible strength. Ephram watched on in horror hearing Jig sob and yell as she did this, and watching the tears fly from her eyes. Once Cory was on the ground she just started kicking him until Ephram pulled her away. Ephram tripped as he backed up and they both fell to the ground. He still had a tight grip around her chest but she no longer resisted it. She was just wailing hysterically into her hands. Ephram had never been more frightened since he came to Everwood. What was wrong with her? Cory got to his feet, blood dripping from his nose and out of the corner of his mouth. The untouched snow around them was filled with splatters of blood. Cory wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, watched Jig sobbing in Ephram's arms for a few moments, before running off in the direction he had come. 

"Jig?" Ephram asked her, worry completely taking over his voice. She just continued to wail in his arms. He had never seen anyone cry so violently. 

"Jig! _Juliet_!" he called to her. On the saying of her real name she yelled and broke free of his grasp. She got to her feet and started running off into the woods. Ephram was so struck in terror he found that he couldn't move. He _couldn't_ get up and run after her. He just leaned forward and placed his face into his hands. 

Delia stood in front of the mirror in her room. She held a comb in her hand and ran it a few times through her hair. Once she was satisfied she placed a Sabres baseball cap on her head. She straightened it, tightened it, and smiled. She only wore that particular cap for her aunt and cousins who were from Buffalo. She didn't know if any of them even liked hockey, but Delia thought it was the polite thing to do anyway. She walked out of her room and down the stairs to find her father straightening his tie in the mirror in the hall. She smiled. He always got like that when Aunt Star was around. They usually got into fights, the two of them. Ephram called it the 'Star Wars.' Delia found it funnier than her dad did. Delia's mom used to think it was pretty funny too. Delia frowned at the thought. Aunt Star and her mom had always gotten along. Delia's mom said that was because the first time she had met Star, she was walking over to her with a photo album filled with pictures of Delia's dad as a baby. The two of them had gone through the entire thing, Star telling one story after another. She even gave it to them as a wedding gift. Delia's mom never told her where the photo album was hidden, though. Dr. Brown turned to her.

"Delia, could you not wear the baseball cap tonight, please?" he asked her more as an actual question than a command.

"Why?" Delia asked him.

"Because I want your Aunt Star to see how well we're doing here. Maybe when she sees we're all fine she'll move back to Buffalo where she belongs."

"Maybe the hat will make her think about how much she misses Buffalo," Delia suggested. Dr. Brown paused as he thought about it.

"Good point, keep the hat. Now, don't forget to talk about Murasaki and how well you two are getting along and-," he stopped remembering he had a parental thing to do here, "how is your stomach feeling?"

"Oh, it's fine. The stomach ache only lasted a few hours."

"Good, good. Where's the candy?" he asked her. She frowned.

"Disposed of," she said. Dr. Brown smiled knowing that by 'disposed of,' she didn't mean thrown away. 

"Alright, where's your brother?" he asked her. She looked around.

"I'm right here," Ephram said walking down the hallway to them. He was dressed in his normal day clothes, unlike his father and sister, who were dressed to go have dinner. Dr. Brown frowned. 

"Why aren't you dressed?" Dr. Brown asked him.

"Well, I was thinking. I'm supposed to be happy here, right?" he asked his father. Dr. Brown nodded.

"Right…"

"Well if I am happy, I'd probably have already made plans to go out with friends tonight, _plus_, I wouldn't have this bandage on my arm," Ephram said pointing to his bound arm in case his father had forgotten. Dr. Brown bit his lower lip.

"The bandage, right… Maybe you should stay home Ephram…" Dr. Brown told him. Ephram nodded grinning. 

"Can I stay home?" Delia asked hopefully.

"Your stomach hurt?" Dr. Brown asked her. She shook her head. "Then you're coming. Ephram, lock up after us?"

"Yea, sure," Ephram said. Dr. Brown put his coat on and helped Delia on with hers. Dr. Brown walked out of the front door to the car and Delia followed him, having just enough time to give Ephram one more pleading look before she closed the door behind her. Ephram and Delia liked their dad, mostly, and Ephram and Delia liked their aunt, mostly, but together they were horrible. Ephram had a tingle of pity for Delia, which he might have acted on, if he didn't have a harder task at hand. 

Ephram picked up the phone and dialed the Harper's phone number. He waited a few rings and hoped he didn't interrupt their supper. Edna answered with her gruff, annoyed, 'hello.'

"Hi, is Jig there?" he asked her.

"Oh Ephram, uh, no, she's not home," Edna said. Ephram's face reverted back to worry.

"Well, has she been home yet?" Ephram asked.

"Oh, yea, she came home about an hour ago. But she left again. Look, kid, I gotta go. Bye," she said and hung up before he could reply. Ephram placed the phone back into its cradle. He had two worries at hand. One, Jig wasn't home and off some where doing God knows what. Or two, she _was_ home but didn't want to talk to him. Why would she feel the need to ignore him? They were friends, what couldn't she tell him? 

In an attempt to get his mind onto something else he walked over to the dinning room table where his homework was laid out. Purely by chance his eyes glanced outside onto the lawn. They saw the figure of a person standing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the back porch. On closer look Ephram found the figure to be Jig. She was just standing there, staring blankly at the porch steps. Ephram grabbed his coat and opened the back door. He walked out onto the porch quietly, knowing that Jig knew he was there even though she didn't show it. He wrapped himself in his jacket and sat down on the top step of the porch so she was finally looking at him. He remained quiet, waiting for her to tell him what she obviously wanted, or needed, to. He'd sit there for hours if he had to.

"I never told you why I came to Everwood, did I?"


	25. and star!

Ephram had long ago given up on finding out why Jig had come here. It's not that he didn't care, it just didn't matter anymore. Jig was there; Ephram had stopped caring why. Obviously Jig still cared, though. Obviously she needed to tell him, and obviously, it wasn't going to be a happy tale.

"No, no you didn't," he answered her even though she already knew she had never told him. Jig sighed and looked away from him, blinking tears out of her eyes. She turned back to him.

"I told you about my dad, how he died before I was born," she said and paused, "and I told you about my mom's family, except for Edna, abandoning us. I didn't tell you _why_. When I was five years old, after a series of asshole boyfriends who treated my mom like trash, she came to a realization. My mom realized no man would ever make her happy again. No _man_ would. So, when I was five years old, my mother became a lesbian. It was cool with me, though, she was happy and I was, _five. _But when she told her family, her parents, they were disgusted. They were _repulsed_ by the sight of her, by the sight of _me_. They completely cut off all money and sent my mom and I into poverty. That's when we moved into that apartment house. It was the nicest apartment house for blocks. My mom got a series of jobs. She worked really hard, _really_ hard. She never did anything illegal though, she could have, but she never did. She never did anything I wouldn't be proud of. I was so proud of her Ephram," she said, tears now running down the sides of her face. "We did pretty well for ourselves. When I could I worked. Other tenants helped us out when we really needed it. Edna was there for us. We did well; we took care of each other. We were all each other had, you know? She had me, I had her. She was gone a lot, working, but I didn't mind. She was always home when I went to bed, and she'd always say the same thing. 'Good night my sweet Juliet.' She was the only person who called me Juliet, and she only did it then. Then, then about a month or so ago, Mom went out with this woman she had been seeing for awhile. She made Mom happy so I liked her. But, well, when they were coming back from the movies," Jig said, now fully in tears, "some guys, some men, came out of the shadows of an alley. They had been watching my mom, you know. They know who and what she was. They _hated_ her. They hated her kind! They didn't even know her! First they went after my mom's date. Mom tried to fend them off, but, they, they beat my mom's date to death. Killed her with their fists. Then they came after my mom… She was in the army though, right, so she floored four of them! Knocked them right to the ground! But, but it was, the fifth one, the fifth guy, he, he had a _gun_. And he aimed it! He aimed it right at my mother's _heart_. And he _fired._ My mom was a tough woman, she was a hundred times strong then anyway, even Edna! But, the bullet, that, that she couldn't handle. She, she was dead. _Dead_! Killed by hate.

"It was late when the police came to my door. I remember getting out of bed, and checking through the peephole. I remember, seeing, seeing the badges, and feeling this vice, around my heart. Then I opened the door and, and suddenly, I went from having next to nothing, to, to just, _nothing_. She was gone. My mother was _gone_. Everything I had was _gone_! It had been _taken_ from me. I remember just collapsing into a heap on the floor, crying and sobbing. My entire body hurt. Hell had come to life. She was gone. I was an orphan. An _orphan_! I had _no one_. 

"A friend of mine paid for the funeral. I had no money. He, he paid for it. They gave her a military funeral. Those flags, do you remember those flags in my room? One for my father, and one for my mother. That's all I have left of them. Two damned flags folded neatly into damned triangles. I'd rather have my _parents_. I'd settle for just my mom back. I miss her smile. I miss her laugh. I miss her _so much_ Ephram!" Jig said and collapsed to the ground. Ephram rushed down the steps to her and held her in his arms for the second time that day. He pressed her against him and let her cry. He placed his face onto the back of her head and felt his own tears falling. Never could he have imagined… How horrible… Jig was in Everwood because it was the only place in the world she could go. It was the only place in the world that would take her. No wonder she yelled at him for not realizing how lucky he was, no wonder she beat the crap out of Cory. Her mother was dead too. Murdered out of hate and ignorance. Jig wrapped her arms around Ephram's back, either for more support or more warmth for her hands. He didn't care. She could hold him so tight she'd break his ribs, and he still wouldn't care. He could feel the warm wetness of her tears soaking through his shirt and onto his skin. Ephram hadn't been able to operate normally for months after his mom died, but Jig, it had just been four or five weeks and he never would have guessed. Jig was an orphan. A painful, sorrowful, lamenting _orphan_. It didn't seem fair. It wasn't right. She had been too good to him, too nice, too caring for this sort of thing to happen to her. Jig didn't deserve to be an orphan. Jig deserved to have both of her parents to greet her in the morning, and call her Juliet at night. 

Ephram wasn't sure how long they knelt there, crying to each other. By the time they stood up his fingers and toes were frozen and he imagined hers were much the same, except for her fingers, which had been warmed by him. He helped her into his house and sat her down on the couch. Her entire face was bright red with tears and he covered her in a blanket before going into the kitchen and warming up some water. He wasn't sure what type of tea they had there, but he knew if he put a lot of sugar in it she'd like it. 

He walked back into the living room and sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her again. She kicked her shoes off and tucked her feet under her legs. She leaned into Ephram not to cry, but just liking the feeling of being held. For a brief moment she imagined it was her mother holding her lovingly again. She might have deepened further into the fantasy if Ephram didn't smell like he did. Her mother smelled like strawberries, but Ephram smelled like butterscotch and leather. Ephram also gripped her differently then her mother did. Her mother would put her arms around her and hugged her more with her neck and shoulders, while Ephram put his arms around her and pressed her torso to his. She had never been really held before by masculine hands, except for Isaac, but he was different. Jig started to cry a little again, but it wasn't as violently as before. It was just a soft cry accompanied by some laughter that Ephram didn't question her about. She was laughing at the utter foolishness of it all. Orphaning a child because who her mother was on a date with. The idea was laughable. Sadly laughable. 

The whistle on the kettle sounded so Ephram reluctantly let her go, and went to turn off the heat. He pulled a mug out of the cupboard and placed a tea bag inside of it. He poured in some water about one centimeter from the brim of the mug. He stirred it with a spoon so the clear water became the brownish color of the tea. He walked over to a cupboard and took the sugar out of it. He turned back around to the mug to find Jig standing there holding the blanket around her, and silently mixing the tea. He walked back over to her and poured a good amount of sugar into it. He took the spoon from her and started mixing the sugar in. The spoon stopped when Jig leaned up and kissed his neck, her being too short, and him being too tall, for her to reach his cheek. His eyes grew wide as he looked down at her, a rush of red advancing upon his cheeks. She smiled sweetly and walked back toward the living room.

"Amy doesn't know how lucky she is to have you," she told him casually. Ephram heard the spoon quickly hitting the side of the ceramic mug and he looked down to see his hand trembling. He released the spoon and calmed his hand.

"Yea, Amy," he muttered quietly to himself. He cleared his throat, grabbed the mug by the handle with his now steady hand, and carried it over to her. Jig was sitting on the couch again and she took the mug from him there. She stirred it a few more times and then blew onto a spoonful of tea before swallowing it. Ephram sat down again on the couch next to her, this time not wrapping his arms around her in comfort. 

Somehow, Jig's moods of sadness or anger, never lasted more than ten minutes or so. Ephram and Jig had fought a few times throughout the course of their friendship, but they lasted only a few minutes and were then forgotten. It was like Jig couldn't stand being anything but happy. Then again, maybe she was always sad, only she didn't show it. Ephram tended to wear his depression right on his sleeve, but Jig, who had more reason to be depressed than him, never really showed it. Ephram sighed as Jig leaned forward and placed the mug on a coaster on the table in front of them. 

"Are you happy, Jig?" he asked her. She turned to him and smiled slightly.

"Sometimes," she answered.

"But, overall, day to day, are you generally happy?" he elaborated. 

"I will be," she said forcing the smile now. Ephram looked over her face with his eyes. He had never seen anything in her face of any notable, physical, attractiveness, but there was something that came out of her eyes that made her pleasant to look at. 

"I wish I could make you happy," he told her. Now her smile was real.

"You have enough trouble making yourself happy, Ephram," she told him and he smiled. He sighed and looked around them.

"Doesn't this remind you of when we got snowed in?" he asked her. She replied in the affirmative.

"Only this time I'm healthy enough to enjoy it," she added, leaning forward and picking up the mug.

"You know, I was supposed to go out tonight," Ephram told her. She turned to him.

"Not with _Amy_?" she asked him. That threw him off a little.

"No, no not with Amy. Dad, Delia and I were supposed to go have dinner with my aunt and Orrie, and, Cory," he said realizing the mentioning of Cory might remind Jig of her outburst and then of her mother.

"Orrie?" she said grinning and taking a long sip from her mug. It was like she didn't hear the name of the guy she had previously assaulted. 

"Yea, Orrie…" Ephram said not understanding the grin. 

"He's a nice guy, isn't he?" she asked him.

"Yea. He knows more about anime than _I_ do. Maybe even more than _you_ do," Ephram answered, indicating it was quite the accomplishment on either account.

"Yea, but, anime aside, he's a nice guy, right?" Jig repeated. Ephram looked at her confused.

" 'Anime aside?' Jig I don't get it," he said. Jig smiled and laughed a little. It was almost a giggle. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, Orrie's, well, he's kind of cute, that's all," she said. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, you have a crush on my _cousin_?" he asked her to make sure of his suspicions. 

"Why not? You have a crush on mine."

"Yea, well, that's _different_," he said.

"How?"

"I'm not related to _her_," Ephram said and Jig laughed. She set her mug down and patted him on the shoulder as she stood.

"I better get going Ephram," she said finding her shoes and putting them on. Ephram ushered her to the front door and just as she opened it he grabbed her arm.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She smiled sweetly, and left.


	26. oh my!

The entire weekend had gone by and Desi could figure no way of getting a story out of Cory Cather. At least, not without risking physical harm to herself. She had talked to Orrie Jackson, her subject's half brother. Cory, it seemed, wasn't actually named Cory. His name was Corin, Cory was a nickname. Also on a side note, Desi learned Orrie's name wasn't Orrie, it was Orlando. They were named after characters in Shakespeare's As You Like It. Shakespeare, of course! _Everybody's_ name is Shakespearean! Orrie was a nice guy, though. He smiled a lot, and when he did he reminded Desi of those occasions when Ephram smiled. Desi had to laugh. Ephram always reminded her of the Grinch when he smiled. That's for irony. 

"Desi!" she heard her name called and turned around to find Amy jogging over to her. Desi looked around and behind her, assuming Amy hadn't been the one to call her and was running to someone behind her.

"Hi, Desi?" Amy said stopping in front of her. Desi turned back around to her, surprised.

"Hi, Amy. Can I help you?" Desi asked her.

"I want to talk to you," Amy said. Desi nodded in understanding. 

"About Ephram and Halloween?" Desi asked. Amy nodded.

"If I had known that no one had-"

"I know. Relax, Amy, someone _did_ come," Desi reassured her. 

"_I_ should have come." 

"You had to deal with Bright, he's your older brother, he comes _first_," Desi said with a smile Amy didn't understand. Amy shook her head.

"But Ephram…"

"Ephram was taken care for," Desi told her and smiled, "relax, Amy. You were not at fault. You are not a fatalist, are you?"

"What?" Amy asked her surprised by the question. Desi laughed slightly.

"You think that everything bad that happens to you is _your_ fault. Sometimes it's just _meant_ to happen, Amy. Sometimes you just have _no_ control. _Fatalism_," Desi told her. Amy smiled and nodded. 

Dr. Brown was outside, sweeping the fine layer of snow off of the sidewalk. He heard a hammer sounding throughout the buildings along the street. His eyes searched very building he could see until finally, a few buildings away from Dr. Abbott's office, Dr. Brown saw his sister nailing a board to the wall. He couldn't read it from where he was, but he knew what it said. It said that Dr. Trott wouldn't have any business the next time she came into town. Dr. Abbott heard the hammering too and walked out of his office. He looked to Dr. Brown who only pointed down the street to his sister. Dr. Abbott saw the woman, frowned, and marched down to her. She watched him approach, and watched him read her sign.

"_Doctor Star Cather_

Town Shrink"

Dr. Abbott read the plaque, laughed a little at her attitude of herself, and turned to her.

"You're a shrink?" he asked her.

"So you can read. I'm Star," she said extending her hand. He shook it.

"Dr. Abbott," he said. She nodded.

"Nice to meet you Dr. Abbott," she said lifting another nail. His eyes widened.

"That's it? No diagnosis about introducing myself as 'Dr. Abbott' instead of 'Harold?'" he asked her surprised. She turned to him.

"I only diagnose people when they pay me for it," she told him. He chuckled.

"I like that idea. Now, you look familiar, have I seen you before?" he asked her. She smiled.

"Now, but you've met my brother," she told him. He looked curious.

"Really? Is he a doctor?"

"Yea, you could say that…" she said grinning sadistically. 

"Well I'm sorry, but I can't seem to place him," Dr. Abbott apologized. Star raised her hand and pointed to Dr. Brown's office. Dr. Abbott turned, saw it, and turned back to her.

"Oh you're _kidding_," he said, hoping she was. She shook her head.

"Andy's my baby brother. And I have pictures!" she said getting out her wallet. She opened it and handed him a picture of a small, brown haired boy, no more then two or three, dressed as a cowboy. Dr. Abbott took the photo and started laughing. 

"_Oh_, oh my, do you have anymore of these?" he asked her. She sighed.

"I had a bunch of them, but I gave them to Julia for a wedding gift. Andy's probably burned them now… Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have some nailing to do," she said. 

"Yes, of course. See you around," he said walking back to his office.

"Oh Dr. Abbott!" she called after him. He turned around to look at her.

"If you want me to tell you why you introduced yourself as 'Dr. Abbott,' you can always make an appointment," she told him. He frowned, nodded, and continued on his way. She shook her head smiling, and continued nailing up her plaque. 

It was lunchtime and Delia and Murasaki were casually making marks on a piece of paper. Murasaki made one mark and drew a line.

"I win," Murasaki said. Delia looked down at the piece of paper to see the line Murasaki drew crossing three O's. Delia sighed. That night was their first performance of _Hansel and Gretel_. Ephram was coming, and the Harper's were going with Jig too. Delia hadn't told her father about it yet, and she wasn't sure if she should. He probably had plans by now anyway. The reason, mainly, that she didn't tell her father, was that her father had never come to any of her school plays in New York City. It was her mother who always came. And if her father came to her play, it'd be like _everything_ was different. Her dad would understand. She just hoped it wouldn't hurt his feelings. Her dad was kind of sensitive like that. 

"So are your parents coming tonight?" Delia asked. Murasaki nodded. 

"Yea, so are Mayumi and Masaji," Murasaki told her. Mayumi and Masaji were Murasaki's twin sister and brother respectively. They were Freshmen in high school so Ephram might have seen them around, Delia hadn't asked him. Mayumi, Murasaki's sister, had been home when Delia spent the night. She was nice. She sang a lot. Mostly Japanese songs. Delia hasn't met Masaji yet. 

"I win," Delia said drawing a line through three of her X's. 

Ephram's eighth period teacher had wanted to talk to him after class. She was in charge of the senior play and wanted to know if he could play the piano for them. Evidently his piano playing was now known school wide. What a sad little place this is. Tonight was Delia's play, and today he was asked to perform for one. The teacher hadn't disclosed which play, but he agreed anyway. The teacher was very good at getting what she wanted. As Ephram walked down the now empty hallway past the music room, he heard voices and erratic music. He opened the door slightly and peeked inside. First he saw Orrie sitting down, holding an acoustic guitar. Upon further inspection he found Orrie talking to Jig, who was also holding an acoustic guitar. They were talking and laughing slightly. 

"Okay, okay, so how do you say 'jig' in Japanese?" Jig asked. Orrie thought about it for a few moments. 

"Jiggu," he told her. She laughed.

"Gee, I never could have come up with _that_ in a million years," she said and he chuckled. 

"Well, human languages are all pretty much the same when you look at them. They might sound different here and there, but they're all the same."

"Why Orrie Jackson, how _profound_," Jig told him grinning. He chuckled again. 

"I want to study languages in college."

"I suppose that should be interesting."

"Yea. I'd get to go all over the world. What do you want to study at college?" Orrie asked her and Jig bit her lower lip.

"Me? In college? Never thought of that…" she confessed. Orrie laughed slightly.

"What do you mean you've never thought of it? Everyone goes to college…"

"I just never thought about it, that's all… Now what song did you want to teach me?" she asked him. 

"Oh! A song I thought you'd like. It's the song from the locket, in Sailor Moon, I found the music for it," Orrie said pulling a piece of paper out of his back pocket. He straightened it and placed it on the stand in front of her. Jig looked over it.

"Okay. Now remember, I'm a bit out of practice at the guitar," she warned him. He nodded. Jig cracked her knuckles and her neck. She placed her hands on the strings and started playing. Ephram smiled. She _could_ play the guitar. Cool. 

"You're not bad for out of practice," Orrie told her when she finished. She shrugged. 

"I've played a little almost every day for the past five years…" she said. He nodded. 

"It shows. What other instruments can you play?" he asked her, looking around the room. She looked around too. 

"Lot's of things that aren't in this room," she said surprised at the lack of diversity on Everwood's instruments.

"Well what _here_?"

"The violin, the flute over there, the drums, and, is that a trumpet?" she asked pointing to a part of the room. Orrie looked.

"Yea."

"Then I can play that too."

"How the Hell did you learn how to play so many instruments?"

"Back in LA we lived across the hall from a guy name Harper Thomas. In his youth he was in a serious of unsuccessful bands, an orchestra. Now he's a professor of music at a local college."

"And he lives in an apartment house?"

"Yea. He said he liked the atmosphere there better. I don't know why…" Jig confessed. 

"Apples and oranges, I suppose," he said. 

"I mean we had some nice moments there. Especially after Isaac, uh, never mind…" Jig said grinning and looking down at the guitar. 

"Who's Isaac?"

"An old friend of mine," Jig said with a smile.

"Is he still leaving there?"

"No, not now, he's left."

"Miss him?" Orrie asked and Jig grinned.

"More everyday," she said. Ephram narrowed his eyebrows at that. What did _that_ mean? Why hadn't Jig mentioned Isaac to him before? She hadn't yet! Not really… Ephram sighed, shook his head, and continued walking down the hall. He really needed more friends that were guys. 


	27. I own Isaac Mr Mystery Graham too!

The excuse had been the big problem. What excuse could Ephram and Delia give their father for the two of them being gone from five to nine? So they went to Nina for advice. Nina always had advice.

"I don't see why you just can't ask him to go," Nina told Ephram. Ephram was claiming to be out with friends while Delia entertained their father. 

"Because Delia doesn't want him there. So, any ideas?" Ephram asked her. Nina sighed. 

"Why don't you just ask him to come, Ephram?" Nina asked. Ephram sighed and stood up.

"It's _Delia's _call. So can you help us or not?" Ephram asked her. Nina sighed again.

"I guess I can't," she told him.

"Fine," Ephram sighed and walked out. Nina ran a hand through her hair and walked into the kitchen. Sam as a teenager was beginning to strike fear into her heart.

Dinner with the Harpers. That's what they went with. Irv and Edna had invited just the two of them to dinner. Four hours was a good enough time for dinner, and they could walk to and from the Harper house. They were sure Edna and Irv would go along with it, especially if Delia asked them. Delia was the master of the cute, puppy-dog eye thing. Their grandmother said their mother was a pro at that too. Ephram could never get it. Ephram and Delia walked out of their house, their father wishing them a good time. When Ephram got to the top of the stairs he saw Jig walking up their walkway, a bouquet of flowers in her hands. Ephram and Delia's eyes widened in shook at seeing her. One word out of her mouth could ruin their entire lie. Their hopes of Dr. Brown not seeing her were dashed as he opened his mouth.

"Oh, hello Jig, what are you doing here?" he asked her.

"I-" she started but Ephram cut her off.

"She's just here to make sure Delia and I got to her house for dinner okay!" Ephram said making sure Jig knew enough of their situation to shut up. Dr. Brown looked back at her as if for affirmation. She just nodded.

"Okay then, have a nice night you two," he said and closed the door. Ephram and Delia jogged down the stairs and over to her. Ephram grabbed her by the arm and lead her across the street.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"Edna wanted to make sure the first flowers Delia got were from her, and she and Irv are there getting our seats. Doesn't he know?" Jig asked them, handing Delia the flowers.

"Thanks," Delia said smelling the daisies. 

"No, and he's not going to," Ephram told Jig. She nodded in understanding. 

"Alright, I trust you two," Jig told them rubbing her hands together for warmth.

"That's why you're cool," Delia said smiling. Jig looked down at her surprised.

"I'm cool?" Jig asked her.

"Yea," Ephram said and Jig stopped walking as Ephram and Delia continued.

"Why didn't anybody tell me! My whole life could have been different!" she said running after them. 

Delia had to run backstage where she was the first person to receive flowers, and Ephram and Jig found their way to the seats in the fourth row that Irv and Edna had saved for them. Ephram took out the video recorder he had hidden away and taken with him. One way or another their father was going to find out about this play, and he was going to be upset about it. Maybe if Ephram had it on tape the punishment might be lenient. Ephram searched the crowd and found Desi and her parents there. They had no relatives of age to be in the play, so this was probably a publicity stunt Desi got dragged along for. To his greater response, Ephram found his Aunt Star, Orrie, and _Cory_ in the audience. Cory was still battered and bruised looking, and the sight of him made Ephram turn his gaze to Jig. She was staring at the stage, watching as things hit the other side of the down curtain, making this side move and almost dance. Jig pursed her lips and rubbed her nose with her hand, no doubt out of coldness. 

"Are you still cold?" Ephram asked her. She turned to him. 

"Always and forever, my friend," she told him. He gave her a smile but frowned as soon as she turned away. Jig would be happier back in LA, even without her mom there. Maybe this Isaac guy should take her in. Ephram had deduced that Isaac was the friend Jig had that could afford to go to France, and the one who paid for her mom's funeral. Well, actually he hadn't so much deduced as blindly guessed. 

"You'll tell me about Isaac someday, won't you?" he asked her. She turned to him, this slight look of horror on her face.

"The play's starting," she told him turning her attention to the drawing curtains. Ephram sighed, raised his camera, and hit 'record.' 

Not a lot of third grade plays getting standing ovations, but this one got the entire auditorium in an uproar. On the stage Delia looked as surprised at the reaction as Ephram did in the stands. Broadway plays got this kind of response, not third grade plays. After a while Ephram checked his watch. This ovation was lasting a good three minutes. That was three minutes of Delia and Murasaki standing up there like fools. Unlike the rest of their classmates, Murasaki and Delia were unable to bow. Their gumdrop costumes would simply not permit it. They couldn't sit either. Delia took a glance at Miss Violet and knew their immobility was due to some wrong they had done her. Delia was pretty such she knew what she had done, but she didn't know what Murasaki could have done to deserve it. Maybe her brother and sister pulled one too many twin related pranks when they were in the third grade. 

It was only eight thirty when the play let out, so Irv and Edna took the kids to get some ice cream. Delia got strawberry ice cream, two scoops, in a dish. Irv and Edna both got chocolate and vanilla swirl on a cone. Ephram got a butterscotch sundae and didn't realize why Jig had a grin on her face. Jig got a scoop of cookies 'en cream in a dish with a fork; they had run out of spoons. Irv and Edna sat on one side of the booth, while Delia, Jig, and Ephram scrunched into the other. Delia didn't mind being squashed against the wall, she was sitting down, she was _happy_. Ephram and Jig were amusing themselves bruising each other's arms with their elbows. Had Ephram been between the two girls, of course, the two would not have had this merry battle. His arm was healing, but still quite sore.

"So Private, how many more of those things do you have to do?" Edna asked her. Delia looked up from her strawberry ice cream.

"Two," she said obviously not thrilled by the idea.

"Those are during school hours though, right?" Ephram asked her. She nodded. 

"Well if this isn't an odd and godforsaken sight," Dr. Abbott said walking over to their table. Edna let out an 'oh boy' and turned away from her son. Jig and Ephram turned their attention to their ice cream; neither of them thrilled at the idea of Dr. Abbott's presence. Dr. Abbott was not alone; however, Bright stood behind his shoulder. Delia gave a smiling glance at Bright before turning her attention to her ice cream as well, thinking the glance had gone unnoticed by all around. 

"Hello Harold. Did you enjoy the play?" Irv asked his stepson, being the only one of the five to have noticed Dr. Abbott in the auditorium. 

"I thought it was, _enchanting_," Dr. Abbott said noticing the former gumdrop tucked into the corner. His actual thoughts were no doubt of a more colorful nature, but seeing as how one of the thespians was within earshot, he kept it to himself. Actually, at the sight of Dr. Abbott, a new dread crept its way down Ephram's back. Dr. Abbott would no doubt mention the play to Ephram's father. And, further adding to the fear, Star had been there too. How had she heard about it? Why did she go? Why'd she bring the boys along? Did she notice Dr. Brown wasn't there and wonder? Did Dr. Abbott? Nina was suddenly becoming right. They should have told their father and hoped he had plans. He probably knew by now anyway. Star had probably called him to tell him what she thought of his daughter's singing. Ephram glanced at the video recorder sitting on the table. Lenient! Ephram couldn't be blamed for this anyway; his nine-year-old sister had coerced him… Ephram was gonna fry! Delia would get off light, their father being understanding of her needs and feelings, while Ephram, being the older and responsible one, would get in trouble. Not that anything bad happened except for a small lie and a minor cover-up. Ephram should probably say good bye to Jig before he went home, he might never see her again. Amy wasn't around to say good bye to, neither was Desi. Ephram took a long look around the diner there, at the people he was sitting with. It'd be awhile before he saw any of them again; it'd be awh-

"Hey!" Ephram yelled as Jig took a forkful of his butterscotch sundae and placed it in her mouth. Her eyes widened and she looked at him surprised that she had been caught in the act. He had a dazed look on his face and didn't seem like he'd notice. She swallowed.

"Just a taste," she said. Ephram then noticed Dr. Abbott was mysteriously gone. He must have _really _zoned out. To be fair he reached over and took a spoonful of Jig's ice cream. She made no objections. 

Dr. Brown wasn't there when Ephram and Delia got home. The two of them entered the house somewhat relieved, and somewhat renewed with worry. The ice cream had somewhat subdued their fear of exposure, but had not eradicated it. Ephram walked into the house first, but as Delia was entering it Jig grabbed her arm and pulled her close enough for a whisper to be secret.

"You're not mad at me for breaking Bright's nose, are you?" Jig asked her. Delia looked up at her surprised.

"Why would I be mad about that?" Delia replied. Jig looked at her and Delia sighed.

"No, I'm not mad. You won't tell Ephram, will you?" Delia asked her. Jig let out a small laugh.

"_Please_, he'd kill me."

"Why would he kill _you_?"

"Because he can't kill you, Bright would kill him, and I'm the only person that's left and I'm the one that told him," Jig said. Delia nodded in understanding and Jig released her back into the house. 

Edna looked up from her book as Jig entered the house, shivering under her coats, and closed the door behind her. She watched as Jig hung up her three coats, two scarves, two hats, four pairs of gloves, and heavy boots. Jig nodded to Edna where she sat reading on the couch as she passed on her way to her room. Edna sighed and looked down at her book with no intention to continue reading. Jig was interesting, Edna would give her that. Her life was filled with so much horror, and yet had its fun, quirky, extraordinary moments. And yet, there were so many things about herself Jig had never been told. Things Edna would have to tell her. Things Edna would have to grit her teeth and bear through. It had to be Edna too. It couldn't be Irv, or Harold, it had to be _Edna_. Edna was there for every major moment Jig didn't know about yet. Jig had to be told soon, too. Edna grumbled her lack of anticipation away and focused in on her book. She didn't have to say anything about anything tonight.


	28. For the record, Star is becoming my fav ...

Author's Note Thingy: Little bad word here. 

"You're getting better at this," Ephram said. Jig was sitting on the piano bench and Ephram was barely sitting on it next to her. Jig's hands moved slowly over the keys, but had they moved at a better speed the song would have sounded perfect. 

"No, you're ears are just getting worse," she corrected him with a slight laugh. Jig hit a wrong key and groaned.

"Isn't that the key though?" she asked him. He shook his head and pressed the key next to the one she had hit.

"No, 'A,'" he told her. She sighed and hit that one then continued playing slowly.

"Did you ever imagine you'd be _teaching_ piano?" Jig asked him. He shook his head, knowing she was too preoccupied to notice.

"No. Kind of hope I never would, actually," he confessed.

"Sorry."

"Not your fault."

"So what ever happened to that play related lie? It was a week ago," Jig asked him. Ephram frowned.

"Nothing."

"What do you mean _nothing_? He _must _know."

"I'm sure he does. He just hasn't mentioned it."

"Not even to Delia?"

"Not a word."

"That's weird. Maybe he's waiting for one of you to admit it."

"Well Delia can do it, I'm not going to."

"I never thought you would. _Oh_ hey, I gotta go. Orrie's showing me around his dark room," Jig said standing up and grabbing her bag. Ephram stood up too.

"So you and Orrie are really getting along?" Ephram asked her as Jig put all of her outer wear on. She nodded with a smile. 

"I really like him."

"You know if you marry him, _Star_ will be your mother-in-law?" Ephram told her. She laughed.

"Marriage? No. I don't like him that much. Anyway, see you later Ephram," she said.

"Bye Jig," he replied as she opened the door and let herself out.

"Ephram!" she yelled from outside. Ephram ran to the door and opened it. Jig was standing halfway down the stairs and Ephram walked down next to her.

"What?" he asked. She made no response so he followed where her eyes were leading. He turned around and jumped in shock of what he saw.

"Holy crap it's a raccoon!" he said. Surely enough, sitting on the ground, staring at them, was a raccoon. It raised its paw in the air as if waving to Ephram. 

"I _told_ you!" Jig yelled in a whisper.

"Jig you're being stalked by a raccoon!" Ephram told her and she sighed. 

"I know!" Jig said taking a few steps side to side. The raccoon's eyes followed her.

"That's _weird_."

"Do raccoons usually follow people?"

"I don't know!"

"Is he dangerous?"

"Is he a he?"

"He's probably hungry, right?"

"Animals are always hungry."

"So do we, like, call someone."

"No! Uh, no."

"Okay, then what so we do?"

"Scare it away I guess," Ephram said and they both started yelling and screaming at the raccoon. In unison they took a step forward in an attempt to scare the animal. In response the raccoon took a step closer to them in interest, causing the two humans to flee in fright back up the stairs and into the house. 

Delia lay on her bed with her eyes making their way down the pages of her book. The play was now over, and rest could be had. Delia stopped reading as she heard the footsteps pass her door from the hallway. It wasn't Ephram. Ephram's walk she knew. This was her dad passing by her door. Ever since that first play she would notice the saddened expression on her father's face. The way he looked at her was different. Oh he knew all right. She had hurt him. Delia closed her book, gathered her courage, and opened her door.

"Dad," she called out. She had caught him at the end of the hallway. Eagerly he turned around.

"Yea?" he asked her. She shifted a little nervously. 

"Can we go see a movie tonight?" she asked him. He nodded, a smile lifting the sides of him mouth.

"Sure. We can do that," he said. Delia smiled.

Desi tightened the hood around her head, compressing her hair to help hide her face. She reached her hand out and turned the knob. Unlike every other door on Everwood's Main Street, the opening of this door was not accompanied with a bell, announcing an entrance. The secretary looked up and smiled as Desi entered the waiting room. She sat in a wooden rocking chair for a few moments before a door suddenly burst open and a tall, leggy, domineering woman rushed out. The secretary handed her something, the woman read through it a bit, and turned to Desi.

"Hm. The rocking chair… Follow me," Star said walking back into her office. Desi stood up and followed her, knowing the door might slam shut before she was through it. 

"Okay, so your brother is dead, your parents use you but don't care about you, and you have no friends but retain an interesting relationship with Ephram?" Star asked her. Desi nodded. It was an odd summary of her life, but none the less accurate. Star moved her head from side to side in thought.

"Okay, here's what you do. Kiss Ephram," Star said. Desi tensed in shock and felt her eyes widen. 

"_What_?"

"Kiss him. His lips, your lips. Maybe a little tongue-"

"Are you _crazy_!" Desi yelled at her.

"No, you are, that's why you're here. Listen, you want friends, you have to go get them. If you kiss Ephram, just once, never talk to him afterward, he'll start talking casually to you. You act like you never kissed him, he won't mention that, but he will try to get to know you, and you can get to know him. Instant friends. Easy," Star explained. Desi just listened to her, her mouth gapping open. 

"Yo- you're so-" Desi started.

"Yes I know."

"How'd you know what I was going to say?"

"I've heard it before. Now let's move on."

"Uh, yea, yea good idea. What about my parents?"

"Lose them. Forget them. Put them in your past. They don't love you and never will," Star said. Desi sighed. 

"How can you still have your license?"

"Because people don't know who to complain to. Now, our time is up. So please leave and tell… uh, oh whatever her name is! Tell her to send in my next paycheck. _I mean patient_. Good," Star said. Desi nodded standing up and walked out of the room. 

Desi had instructed the secretary, Katie, to send in Star's next "paycheck." Desi saw the next person briefly, but there was a glimmer of something she recognized. The way the new paycheck walked and held the hood close around their face, Desi knew her.

"Goddamn Ephram gets around!" Star yelled when Amy was finished. Amy chewed a little on her lower lip. She had debated with herself rather or not she should even come here today. But Star was a professional and probably wouldn't mention Amy's predicament to anyone, and Amy really needed help. She had no idea what to do. Who to choose. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Dump Ephram," Star told her confidently.

"What?" Amy asked, surprised by the direct answer. Star couldn't have had more than five minutes to think about it. 

"Dump him, lose him, what do I need to get you a dictionary?"

"A- are you sure?" Amy asked her. 

"Amy, that other boy was in a _coma_! He has _amnesia_! Don't be a bitch and dump him Amy," Star told her.

"I- but I'm worried about hurting Ephram," Amy explained. 

"Really! Well that's _completely_ different! Dump them _both_!"

"What!"

"Dump them both! Ephram and coma boy!"

"_Why_?"

"You don't love either of them. Leave them; let them move on, you move on. Find someone you do love, marry _him_."

"How can I not love _either_ of them. I love _both_."

"No you don't. Love is a very selfish thing, Amy. It doesn't care about anybody else's feelings. If you're worried about hurting Ephram, they you're not in love. So _move on_."

"But-"

"Jesus Amy! _Let them go_! Let yourself go. This isn't hard to understand. There's no love here."

"What if they, what if they love me?" Amy asked shyly, like the idea was impossible.

"Better they know you don't love them now than later, right?"

"How can you be so sure I don't love either of them?"

"Do you see that?" Star asked pointing to the wall behind her. Amy's eyes found a diploma hanging on the wall in a frame covered in buttons.

"Yea…"

"_That's_ how I can be sure. Now, don't worry about Ephram or coma boy. As I hear it, Ephram is surrounded by girls, one of whom is going to kiss him if she knows what's good for her. The other, who's this, Waltz person?"

"Jig."

"Yes, who is she?"

"My second cousin, Ephram's best friend. She's been hanging out with Orrie…" Amy said surprised Star wouldn't know about Jig already.

"Oh! Oh the brown haired girl with the nice laugh!"

"Yes."

"Oh, she's nice. A little weird. Orrie likes her. _Anyway_! Back to you and your miniscule little problems. Where were we, oh, yes, yes, um, worried about other people. Well, uh, stop that, they don't matter. They just make you crazy. I know. So um, times up. _Leave_…" Star said getting up and walking behind her desk. Amy sighed, stood up, and walked out of the room. This was _not_ a normal office. Certainly not a normal shrink. Freud would be appalled, just, _appalled_. 


	29. kissy kissy

Delia and Dr. Brown where off working out the play situation leaving Ephram alone. The two were working it out calmly and maturely, and Ephram hadn't gotten into trouble. Who in Hell saw _that_ coming? Anyway, Ephram had discovered that, somewhere along the way, Jig had left a hat at his house. Knowing it was unlikely she would live without it, he left his own home with the hat in hand, and made his way to the Harper's house. It was dark outside, but the few lampposts reflected their light off of the slight snowfall that had occurred that afternoon increasing the ability to see. Ephram wrapped his coat a little tighter around him and turned onto Jig's block. It was a one-block street and consisted of four, maybe five good sized houses on each side. Jig's was right in the middle. The house had actually been in Irv's family for some time, Edna moved in when they got married. Ephram walked down the street until he was close enough to see and hear the two people standing on her porch. It was Jig and Orrie. Ephram, not really knowing why, hid behind a thick tree close to him so he could eavesdrop. His best friend and his cousin were an idea of interest to him.

He couldn't make out any actual words, but he could see and hear Jig and Orrie laugh every now and them. Ephram ducked down close to the snow level, not an easy thing to do at 5'11", and crept behind a closer tree. He got himself situated in this new position just in time to see Orrie lean over and kiss Jig. She moved her gloved had up around Orrie's neck and kissed him back. Ephram leaned out a bit farther, at this point not afraid of being seen. She could have waited for her hat. He had no reason to bring it over tonight. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be seeing this. He didn't want to be seeing this.

At this point something flew down from the tree and landed on Ephram's back. He yelled out in surprise and jumped fully out of the tree's hiding powers. He regained himself just in time to see the damned raccoon scamper off. He scoffed, straightened his jacket, and turned back to the porch. Jig and Orrie were both looking at him. Panicked he held her forgotten hat into the air.

"You left your hat at my house!" he called out to her. He then bent over and placed her hat in the snow, forty feet from the porch. He then nodded to them both, turned around, and retaining whatever dignity he had left, made his way back home. 

Delia was asleep by the time the car pulled up in front of the house. Dr. Brown ran to the house first and opened the door. He then came back and carried his daughter through the door. When he carried her upstairs, he saw his son peeking out of his room, his music barely short of blaring. Dr. Brown and Ephram shared a nod and Ephram enclosed himself back in his room. Dr. Brown laid his daughter in her bed, removed her shoes, and closed the door behind him as he left. He knew about the play. He did. In Everwood it was impossible to not know something as big as a play. He hadn't asked why no one told him, or asked him to come. He wasn't sure he really wanted to know. But, this movie night, just him and Delia, that was good. Things were right now. Things were going too well for Dr. Brown to worry about this. Ephram was happy with his friends, Delia had friends, and Star… Oh yea… Well, things were going sort of well. Things could be worse. Things were bad. Things were very, _very, _bad.

Ephram was walking down the hallway, bobbing his head from side to side in tune with the music he was listening to. He passed Desi in the hallway and nodded to her. She responded by ducking into the girl's bathroom. He would have given some thought to the action but he found himself being clobbered from behind. He removed his headphones and found Jig walking next to him, her arm hung around his neck and shoulders. She waved a sheet from a newspaper in front of him excitedly.

"Ephram look!" she yelled to him. He looked at the newspaper. It was the movie listings.

"What?" he asked her. She removed her arm from his neck and pointed to the illustration of a small girl looking over her right shoulder.

"Spirited Away! It's playing in Denver! Orrie and I are going to go this Friday, you're coming with us, right!" Jig told him. Ephram's excited smile faded at the invitation.

"You're inviting me out on your _date_?" he asked her in surprise. She laughed.

"It's not a _date_, it's _anime_, Ephram. Now come on, you're coming right? I mean, it's _Spirited Away_!" Jig told him excitedly. Ephram nodded and Jig started jumping up and down in delight. 

"Good. We'll leave right after school on Friday, get home around nine or so. Oh I can't wait! This is going to be so incredibly cool!" Jig said. Ephram laughed slightly. Then, out of seemingly no where, Desi walked up from behind Ephram, kissed his cheek, and ran past Jig and down an adjacent hallway. Ephram raised his hand slowly to his cheek and he and Jig stood still a few moments in shocked silence.

"What _exactly_ happened between you two in the woods?" Jig asked him.

"Nothing worthy of _that_," he replied, taking his hand down from his cheek, realizing he had placed it there. 

"I'll talk to her about it later."

"So what, you two are friends now?"

"I guess so."

"She doesn't take any of your time away from _Orrie_ does she?" Ephram asked beginning to walk down the hall again. Jig followed him.

"Oh that's right, you saw the little kiss thing."

" 'Little kiss thing?' "

"Okay, okay. _Big_ kiss thing. I was so sure my knees were going to buckle under me. It was weird. I've been kissed before, but nothing like _that_! Of course all of the other times were Isaac…"

"Isaac! Again with Isaac! Who the Hell _is_ this guy?" Ephram demanded from her. Jig bit her lower lip, which was appearing to be a family trait.

"A friend…" she said quickening her pace.

"A 'friend' huh? He travels all over the world, buys you nice things, pays for your mother's funeral, and kisses you? How do you have a friend who can…?" Ephram started but decided it better to leave unfinished. Jig turned to him.

"Who can _what_? Afford all of that? How can _I_ possibly have wealthy friends, right? I'm just some _poor_ little girl from the ruined side of town! Some people _aren't_ lucky enough to be born with money like you Ephram, some people actually _earn_ it!" she yelled and stormed away from him. Ephram sighed and rubbed the space between his eyes.

"I guess I hit a _nerve_ then!" he yelled after her. Actually, he knew as well as she did that little "upset" thing was a dodge. She acted like that just to get out of answering his question. She knew he didn't think of her like that, money didn't matter between them. Isaac was probably dead, wasn't he?

She couldn't dump them! The very idea was ridiculous! Coming from Ephram's _aunt_ too. What a wing nut. "There's no love here." What did she know anything about? Of course Amy loved them. At least one of them. She couldn't dump them! Especially Colin… Ephram was fit and surrounded by friends, he might be able to take it, and Jig would help. But Colin was sick. It'd be horrible if he should suddenly remember who she was, and then "oh yea, by the way, let's break up!" That would be wrong. Star was right about that. Amy can't let Colin go. Not until he's himself again. Can't let Ephram go. There's too much. Then the idea of Star being completely right crept into Amy's mind. Maybe she didn't love either of them, and should let them go. Let them find the one who will truly love them. Them… Love isn't supposed to be in terms of "them." Maybe Star was right. A frightening thought, but, maybe…

That kiss didn't exactly have the alluring effect Star probably intended it to have. "Alluring" was not really a good word for Desi. "Awkward" worked better for her. What a miserable little thing she did. Kissed him on the _cheek_ and ran off. With Jig there too. They were probably laughing at her now. It probably would have made the school newspaper if she weren't the head of it. Desi was walking down one of the hallways now, clutching herself and looking at everyone as if they knew what she had done. How she had embarrassed herself. "The mayor's daughter was involved in a kiss and run incident this afternoon. There were no survivors." What a miserable thing. Desi would need a shrink to help her get over all of the things her shrink did to her. When was Dr. Trott coming back to town? She certainly wasn't going to be out of work. She'd be out of work like a fireman after a tornado. Or a plowman after a blizzard. Or anything else along the lines of cleaning up after a disaster. And Desi was going to be first in line. Dr. Star Cather was just _not_ good for her general well being. Speaking of which, Desi noticed Cory walking down the hall in her direction. Watching this guy walk down the hall was like watching the parting of the Red Sea. No one wanted anything to do with this guy, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. He did, however, give Desi a nice long intimidating stare as he passed her. Desi shivered down to her toes. Ephram's cousin and Orrie's brother? In what universe?

Dr. Abbott stood in the kitchen slicing a carrot twice the size of any carrot he had ever seen before, and Rose stood next to him, doing the same to some celery. He was preparing to make the only recipe his father had ever taught him, and he did so with delight. His wife let out a troubled sigh and Dr. Abbott knew the joy of cooking was not now mutual. He let out a small sigh as well and started the conversation.

"Tough day at work?" he asked her, figuring that was the origin of the depleted sigh. 

"No worse than usual," she replied. He nodded. So it wasn't work.

"How's you father doing?" 

"No worse than usual," she repeated. So it wasn't her parents. 

"Amy and Bright are doing well, wouldn't you say?" 

"No worse than usual," she repeated, again. Dr. Abbott frowned. So it wasn't the children. That left one thing left.

"What have I done?" he asked her. She sighed and turned to him. He prepared himself for the attack.

"I think we should make an appointment to see Dr. Cather!" Rose confessed. Dr. Abbott missed cutting his thumb off by an inch.

"What?" he asked her completely confused.

"I think there are some things we need to discuss."

"With a _shrink_!"

"With a licensed professional who can help us, Harold."

"Rose, honey, please, is there anyway we can _not_ do this?" Dr. Abbott pleaded. Rose shrugged.

"We never _did_ take those salsa lessons…" Rose said. Dr. Abbott paused and swallowed.

"Can I have some time to think about this?" he asked her.

"You have twenty four hours."


	30. i wish i had my own dark room

Delia was sitting next to Murasaki on Murasaki's couch. Their socked feet resting on the coffee table in front of them. They were watching some movie about toy soldiers coming to life. Something Edna would probably get a kick out of. Behind them two arguing teenagers burst into the room. One, the boy, holding something just out of reach of the other, the girl. Murasaki sighed angrily, and apologized to Delia. She got onto her knees and turned around to her two siblings.

"Masaji! Mayumi! Come on! We're watching a movie!" Murasaki yelled to them in a surprisingly strong voice. Murasaki barely talked let alone yelled, so this out burst surprised Delia. 

" 'We?' " Mayumi asked. Delia copied Murasaki's position and waved to the sister. The twins looked surprised, Masaji more than Mayumi.

"You have a friend, yousei?" Masaji asked. Murasaki sighed and told him something in Japanese. He frowned and walked out of the room in a huff. Mayumi walked over to the two girls.

"How are you, Delia?" Mayumi asked her. Delia informed her of her well being and Mayumi nodded pleased.

"Good. Now you two enjoy your movie. I'm going to go kill my brother," Mayumi told them with a smile and walked off in the same direction Masaji had. Delia smiled and she and Murasaki turned back around.

"You're family is nice," Delia told her. Murasaki smiled.

"I know," she said and they continued with the movie. 

The next morning as the Brown family was just sitting down to breakfast, the phone rang. Dr. Brown, already standing, picked it up and spoke into it the normal greetings. He listened for a few moments before handing the phone to Ephram, who was surprised to take it. 

"Hello?" Ephram asked into it.

"Ephram have you seen all of the snow! Why isn't school closed?" Jig asked him panicking. He sighed.

"Jig it's only a few inches. You've lived through worse."

"Yea but that's when I didn't have to go out _into_ it!"

"Jig, that's just-"

"Can you come over?"

"What, _now_?"

"Yea, I need you to walk me to school."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't I might not make it," she informed him. Ephram sighed.

"I'll be right there," he said hanging the phone up. He made his excuses, put his coat on and grabbed his bag. 

There was enough snow on the ground to cause a sweat with shoveling, but for walking in so early in the morning it was nice. Ephram followed the same path he had two nights ago, only this time the porch was bare. He jogged up the stairs and knocked on the door. Jig answered, wrapped in so much stuff you could shoot her, and the bullet would never touch her skin. Ephram smiled and suppressed a laugh as she half walked, half waddled onto the porch with him.

"Here," she said handing him a cereal bar. He took and looked at it with odd amusement.

"Thanks but I'm fine…"

"No, I took you away from breakfast. I don't want you dying of malnutrition during the day because of me," she told him. He nodded and placed the bar in his book bag.

"Okay. Come on, let's go," he said turning around and walking down the steps. Jig followed him, _very_ slowly. When her feet touched the snow covered cement, they failed her. She fell forward and lucky for her Ephram was able to catch her on the way down. He helped her to her feet and laughed.

"You don't know how to walk on snow, do you?" he asked her.

"It wasn't exactly a needed skill where I come from," she explained with an obvious dislike for the frozen rain.

"No, I guess it wouldn't be. Come on, I'll help you," he said and the two slowly walked down the street, Ephram holding on to her arms to prevent her from hitting the ground. 

They moved slowly along for a block or two, successfully keeping Jig off of the ground. As they walked under a tree bare of leaves but filled with snow, a branch shook unnaturally, dumping the snowy contents on the two. They both yelled in surprise and frantically wiped the fine powder off of themselves. In unison they looked up to see the raccoon sitting by the now bare tree limb.

"Ein you're lucky I'm afraid of heights!" Jig yelled up to the raccoon. The creature simply titled its head from side to side, almost in amusement. Jig scoffed and continued walking. Ephram joined her out of necessity.

"You _named_ it?" he asked her surprised.

"It makes him easier to yell at," she explained. He nodded in slight understanding. Then something else hit him.

"You named it _Ein_?"

"Yea, the Corgie."

"Oh right, Cowboy Bebop," he said nodding.

"I couldn't think of any raccoon characters."

"What about from Dragon Ball?"

"Can you think of one?"

"No, but there must be."

"Yea well, Ein works well for me," Jig said and Ephram caught her just before she hit the ground. 

He picked Dr. Cather. It would be annoying, and dreadful, and he'd be the butt of jokes for years, but at least his feet wouldn't hurt when it was over. Rose had even called and set up an appointment. What a horrible state things were in when Harold and Rose Abbott would need to talk to a shrink. And she was Dr. Brown's sister too. Insult to injury. She'd just be like all other shrinks. "How do you feel about this?" and "what can we do to overcome this?" Asking question but never giving answers. A profession of guessing. "The human mind is a complex thing…" Beeswax! If they want complexity they should have taken Dr. Abbott's exam on the nervous system. Dr. Abbott seeing a shrink, if word got out… Well, at least everyone would know he went under duress. 

Desi and Amy sat together at lunch. Well, they sat next to each other. Neither had anything in front of her, and each gazed glumly around at the cafeteria. Everyone was happy and talking, each smile mocking the two girls. The week had not been going well for either of them. Between the two of them there were several regrets. Going to see Star was one they happened to share. It was also one that happened to bring them together at this moment. They both knew the other had gone to see her, and they spoke nothing of it to anyone. So now they carried a common secret, which, on some odd level, made each other's company the only comfortable company left for them. For Amy Desi's company was an escape from everything else, for Desi, Amy's company was what Star had intended, an instant friend. 

After a minute in the developer Jig used the prongs to move her five by seven into the stop bath. She then agitated it for ten seconds before moving it to the fix. As she stood there in the near dark, Orrie walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder.

"You're making good use of that camera," Orrie told her. Jig laughed. 

"Good camera."

"How'd you get a raccoon to look right at you?"

"_Wasn't a problem_…"

"Okay… So, what filter did you use?"

"Oh, I went with the 3 ½, you were right."

"Well, if I know anything really well, it's photography."

"And anime."

"Anime is too broad to know _really _well."

"Well, maybe not. But, thank you for sharing your photographic skills with me," Jig said, moving the photo into the water. 

"I'm surprised you don't have any pictures of Ephram."

"Now why would I have pictures of Ephram?"

"You do spend so much time together…"

"Do I hear some jealousy there?"

"Not 'some,' " Orrie said with a grin. Jig smiled. She placed the photo in the wash and then back into the water. Together they walked out of the dark room and Jig dried the access water off of the photo and hung it by the window. Orrie nodded.

"He's a cute little guy, isn't he?" Orrie asked her. Jig frowned.

"Yea, _adorable_."

"Hey, is this Delia?" Orrie asked her looking at a photo already hanging up. The picture was of Delia asleep on the couch.

"Yea, I thought Ephram would like it," Jig said and Orrie gave her a playful stare. She smiled.

"Or maybe Edna and Irv would like it," she said. Orrie laughed.

"Hey you know what, you can give it to Ephram if you like. I don't care that you two hang out. He seems pretty stuck on Amy anyway."

"Yea, you'd think she was fly paper or something," Jig said taking down the image of Delia.

"You have a spot," Orrie said pointing to it. Jig batted his hand away with a grin. 

Ephram lay down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling. Delia had complained of a minor headache so he listened to his music through his headphones instead of his normal speakers. Like a lot of his songs, this one was about deceit and heartbreak. There was definitely a theme going here. Sick of that theme he stood up and changed his CD. The first song was the Sailor Moon theme in French. What, it was different. Of course it was Isaac again but he didn't really care. Jig was allowed her old friends just as he was allowed his. Actually he could think of a few old friends he'd rather not have Jig find out about. Amy too. He knew some people he'd rather not have Amy know about. A few blemishes in his past. Though, Amy probably has those as well. That thought made Ephram smile. He could accept perfectly well that Jig and Desi had things in their pasts worth hiding, Jig growing up as she did and Desi being in a political family, but Amy… What could she have done worth covering up? He bet it was good. Jig might know. No, she probably wouldn't. Edna… no, she'd never tell. There was a knock on his door so Ephram removed the headphones and allowed entrance. Jig walked in holding a picture frame. She closed the door behind her.

"What are you listening to?" she asked him.

"Uh, nothing," he lied. Jig laughed.

"_Okay_… Here," she said and handed him the picture frame. Inside was the photo she had taken of Delia. He smiled.

"Cool, where'd you get this?" he asked her.

"I took it, and developed it in Orrie's dark room," Jig told him. Ephram's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

"No, I'm lying. _Yes really_! I know there's a spot there but-"

"It looks _great_, Jig. Does she know you took this?" Ephram asked her. Jig grinned.

"If she did I'd be dead. Now, I have to go, Orrie and I are playing Monopoly with Edna and Irv, and I want to get there early so I can be the Scottie. See you later Eph," she said with a wave and started walking away.

"Bye! And don't call me 'Eph!'" he yelled after her. He heard her laughing as she walked down the stairs.


	31. what should i do with cory?

He wasn't comfortable with his knees crossed, he wasn't comfortable with both feet on the ground, he wasn't comfortable at all. Rose placed a hand on his knee and scolded him slightly. Dr. Abbott frowned and placed his feet firmly on the ground. Star clicked her pen with a menacing look at Dr. Abbott and wrote something on a pad of paper. Actually, Star was writing her grocery list, but Dr. Abbott didn't need to know that. Star cleared her throat and turned to Rose.

"Okay, from what you've both said, you seem to be doing everything fine," Star said and Rose smiled. Then Star turned to Dr. Abbott who was now hopeful this experience would not be as painful as he expected. He was disappointed. 

"_You,_ husband. You're doing everything _wrong_. Now that Andy's in town you're doing 2/3 less work, so why aren't you home more?"

"I-"

"Shut up. You think that by spending as much time at the office it makes Andy less important in your life. Stop that. He's helping you. Go home when you can, grab the wife here and go for a walk. Just don't get lost. Wait, on second thought, _get lost_. Hardship brings people together. Some freaky kind of rule. Make sure the two point five children are fed, cleaned, clothed, and put to bed first, though. Wrap yourselves warmly, bring a flashlight, go get lost in the woods. It'll reinvent your marriage. It did for mine… the first one…" Star said and a slight frown took over her face for a split second.

"Okay, you have your little, mission, thingy, now, go. Fix things. _Go_!" Star yelled. The husband and wife jumped and ran from the room. Star had a power about her that was frightening, and she knew it.

Ephram placed all of the books he wouldn't need for homework in his locker and got out his coat. He saw the shoulder of a person his size come up to him, and when he shut the locker he found Orrie standing there, holding something over his shoulder. 

"Ice skates," Orrie told Ephram before he asked.

"For what?" Ephram asked her. Orrie sighed.

"Attempting the impossible," Orrie admitted.

"I _heard_ that," Jig said walking over to them. She wrapped an arm around the small of Orrie's back and leaned on him.

"Orrie's going to teach me how to ice skate," Jig said and Ephram started laughing.

"I'm going to _try_ anyway…" Orrie said.

"You can barely _walk!_ How are you supposed to _skate_?" Ephram asked her. Jig frowned.

"If I can learn to tango, I can learn to _ice skate_," she informed him. Orrie and Ephram looked at her surprised.

"You can tango?" they asked her in unison. She laughed.

"Yea, Is… yea can't you?" Jig said placing a grin on her face. Orrie and Ephram frowned but both figured it was best to be forgotten.

"You want to help me Ephram? I have a feeling it's a two man job," Orrie said and received a playful jab in the ribs from the girl at his side. Ephram raised his hand.

"No, thanks. I've never been good at ice skating," Ephram said.

"Well he can teach you too! I won't have to fall alone!" Jig said. Orrie laughed. Ephram shook his head with a grin.

"No. But I'll tell you want I will do. Here…" he said taking a scarf from his bag and hanging it around Jig's neck. She ran her hands over it.

"It's so soft…"

"Yea, well… That's my lucky scarf, so take care of it," Ephram told her. Jig straightened her back and saluted him. She then began to laugh at herself but cut herself short as some memories floated to the surface. 

"Well, I have to go get the rest of my…_padding_," Jig said tilting her head to one side and leaving them. Orrie chuckled slightly watching her go then turned back to Ephram, a slightly more serious tone on his face.

"That scarf…" Orrie started, giving Ephram an idea of where he was going, "you're mom?"

"Yea," Ephram said sadly. He then waved good bye to his cousin, turned around, and walked away. It had taken Julia Brown two months to knit that scarf for her son. It cost her about eight dollars to make. Now it was priceless.

Dr. Brown strolled down the aisle casually looking through the canned foods. He hadn't made a list of what they needed, but he knew they needed things. Food type things. So he would just get what it occurred to him they could use. Soup. It was cold out. He couldn't burn soup. But what kind… Neither of the kids like tomatoes, Ephram was allergic to mushrooms, chicken noodle was for sick days, and he didn't like vegetable soup. Dr. Brown needed to make a list before he came out again.

"This is such a pathetic little place. Where's the miso soup?" 

"I think there's some in_ Buffalo_…"

"If you think miso soup is what's getting you back to Buffalo you need to try harder…" Dr. Brown heard two familiar voices say from the other side of the aisle wall. He froze in his tracts and dropped into a squatting position. His first notion was to flee, but Star would see him. He could be _invisible_, and she would see him. 

"Do you smell that?" Star asked, further down the aisle now.

"Yea, I think a mouse _died_," Cory snapped back.

"No, it's not the death smell. It's more like, Andy?" Star asked walking around the corner and finding her little brother crouched down near the floor.

"Ah! Yup! Here it is!" Andy said grabbing the first can he could get and standing up. Star and Cory walked over to him. Well, Star walked, Cory was dragged. Star looked at the can and then at Dr. Brown suspiciously. 

"Oh, hi Star," Dr. Brown said as if just noticing her there. She looked him in the eyes, and obvious frown plastered to her face.

"Andy since when do you eat strained beets?" Star asked him. Dr. Brown looked at the can in his hands. Surely enough he was holding strained beets. 

"I don't, but, Ephram does. The air up here, it's changed him," Dr. Brown said placing the can into his basket. Star continued looking at him like she didn't believe a word that escaped his lips. 

"Evidently for the _worse_…" Star said and Dr. Brown laughed even though he didn't find it funny.

" 'For the worse!' Ha! I'll have to tell him that one! You know! I'll go tell him _now_! Bye…" Dr. Brown said turning around and walking quickly out of the aisle. Star watched him retreat suspiciously and Cory scoffed.

"Is _that_ a big enough incentive to move back home?" Cory asked her.

Amy wouldn't mind switching places with Fanny Price. Sure she was ignored most of her life, but at least she has always known whom it is she really loves. Not even the offering of wealth and a good name can deter her from the man she loves. And she gets him too. Which is perfect. A "happily ever after" story. Jane Austen likes writing those. Amy liked reading them. Of course, she always hated it when she had to put the book down and reality slapped her in the face. Amy was a book addict. First it started off as an easy way to escape reality every now and them. No harm no foul. But as time went on, the more she read the more she began to realize everything she would never do, places she would never go, people she would never be. Reality became so horrible, so painfully plain, she needed books. She couldn't survive without reading. It consumed her. She spent hundreds of dollars every year on books. It was ruining her life, her family. This addiction to reading was destroying everything but her grades. Her world was falling apart, which only made her read more and more. She always thought it was funny, they had rehabilitation for druggies, but none of bookies. Unless they're the gambling type of bookie… But that's different. Where was the twelve step program for the addicted reader? Amy laughed slightly. She should bring that up with Desi. She'd probably get a kick out of it. She might even suggest the idea to her father. Not that her father would listen. Amy had deduced that Desi's parents were the reason Desi had gone to see Star that tragic day. It was always the parents. Except for Amy, actually. Her parents were pretty good when she thought about it. Ephram's mother was dead and his father had pretty much ignored him for fifteen years. Both of Jig's parents were dead. Desi's never recognized her as an actual living being. And as for Orrie and Cory's parents, well, the boys are both alive, and that must have been an accomplishment. Even Fanny Price had crappy parents. Colin had good parents. They were strong and yet loving. Strict, but reasonable. Amy really wouldn't mind having them for her parents. When she was young, her crush on Colin first developing, she would call his parents "Mom" and "Dad." Colin never minded. He would even joke a few times, joke that her calling his parents that, meant that they were supposed to get married. 

There was no way she could ever love any one like she loved Colin. She did love him. Star had to be wrong. Amy, she, she didn't even talk to Ephram that much anymore. Now that Jig and Orrie got here, Ephram didn't depend solely on Amy for friendship. He didn't depend on her at all. He was his own person, making his own circles with people who liked what he liked. That was good. She was happy for Ephram. He was happy. It was _her_ cousin, but _his_ friend. Actually, Amy supposed, to Jig, friendship probably feels more like family. Amy and Ephram, they could never be like _family_. Ephram was a friend to Amy when Amy needed one, and she would always be grateful for that. But Amy didn't need a friend anymore, not a friend like that. Now that Colin was awake, Amy needed nothing more from a friend than what she got from Desi. Desi was a companion who understood without words. "Friendship is when silence between two people is comfortable." Amy had a friend, and Ephram had a friend, so they no longer needed each other. But Amy needed Colin. Star was _wrong_. 

Ephram decided to take a detour on his way home that afternoon. By no coincidence this detour took him by the skating pond Orrie and Jig were at. He didn't come by to spy on them, he didn't care. He came by to see if he could help carry Jig home when she falls and breaks something other than her pride, which is easily mended. As Ephram approached the snow covered pond, he found an inhabited bench sitting at the bit of it. On the ice were Jig and Orrie, inching the way across the pond. From where he approached Ephram could see the white snow spots on Jig's coat and pants from where she had fallen. That proved no surprise. What was a surprise, however, was the before mentioned inhabited bench. It was Desi. She was seated on the bench, well bundled, watching the coupled perform in front of her, and enjoying their mistakes. Desi sat directly in the center of the bench, leaving from on either side for one person. Ephram wordlessly sat down at her left. He was not going to mention the peck on the cheek she had given him. In truth it had almost vanished from his mind. But it had not from Desi's, and her strange posture around him reminded him of the kiss and run.

"Amazing, isn't it? They've known each other about two weeks and look like they've loved each other all of their lives…" he said, figuring Jig and Orrie was a safe ground for conversation. Desi nodded, nervously.

" 'Some people can talk for years and never really know each other, and some at first words are old friends,' " Desi more or less quoted. Ephram smiled. I had always liked reading quotes. That's probably how he knew that "birds coughing in the trees" bit he told Jig so many weeks ago. 

"Who said that?" Ephram asked her. Desi shrugged.

"I just remember the quote," she said and he chuckled slightly. He than sighed and the two fell silent for a few moments, watching Jig's amusing attempt and gliding on the ice.

"So are we friends?" Ephram asked her suddenly. Desi paused, thinking it over.

"I'd like to think so."

"Good, me too," Ephram said with a smile. Desi smiled back.


	32. spirited away was a majorly cool movie

The next morning Jig walked out of her room, tied her bathrobe tighter around her waist, and walked into the kitchen. It was Friday, and that afternoon brought Spirited Away. Jig was so excited. She and Orrie had watched Princess Mononoke the night before, kind of a hype for this afternoon. Jig removed a bowl from the cupboard and placed it on the counter. She looked over just in time to see Ein jump up onto the counter next to her. Jig sighed.

"How the Hell did you get in here?" she asked him. He blinked in response. Suddenly the creature was captured inside a pillowcase by Irv. He held the top tightly and placed the struggling pillowcase into a dog carrier. He closed it. 

"What are you going to do with him?" Jig asked him.

"Just taking him to the vet. If he's going to follow you we just want to make sure he doesn't have rabies or anything," Irv reassured her. Jig's eyes widened in surprise.

"Rabies?" she asked him. It hadn't occurred to her that the raccoon could actually be dangerous. 

"Yea. He hasn't bitten you or licked you, has he?" Irv asked her. Jig shook her head. 

"No."

"And Ephram?"

"No. No Ein usually just follows me," Jig said. Irv nodded.

"Well, you better get ready for school. Don't worry, we'll take care of him," Irv told her. Jig nodded and walked out of the room.

Delia and Murasaki sat in their art class, moving brushes along the paper on the table in front of them. Delia was painting, well, nothing. She was just moving the brush. It was kind of looking like a horse, actually. 

"What do you think?" Murasaki asked her holding up her paper. Murasaki had painted on it several black symbols with purple flowers around them. It was pretty, but Delia didn't get it.

"What does it mean?" Delia asked her.

"It's my name. Kasshoku, and Murasaki," Murasaki said pointing to several symbols. Delia nodded.

"It's pretty."

"Thanks. What are you painting?"

"I don't know. I think it's a horse…" Delia told her.

"I like it. It's very post impressionist," Murasaki said and Delia looked at her. Then they both started laughing. Neither of them understood what exactly Murasaki had just said. 

Ephram opened his locker to find his scarf hanging on the hook. He sighed as he took it down and placed it in the safety of his bag. How did Jig know what his combination was? He had changed it tons of times since the last time she got in. She probably watched him spin the dial yesterday. How she knew she would get the chance to use his locker combination, he didn't know. Suddenly Ephram was shoved into his locker. He might have actually gone in but his shoulders hit the frame. He turned his head and watched Bright walking away from him, laughing with his friends. Ephram scoffed and continued pulling out the books he needed. 

"The men in that family, I swear…" Ephram heard. He looked over and saw Desi standing there, watching Bright walk away, shaking her head.

"Yea, they'll all pretty nuts," Ephram agreed. 

"Amy said her parents went to go see your aunt the other day," Desi told him and Ephram started laughing.

"I bet that went well…"

"Dr. Abbott is thinking of suing," Desi said and Ephram laughed again.

"Wouldn't be the first time she's been sued."

"You know, your aunt's a little-"

"I know. Believe me, _I know_," Ephram reassured her. Desi smiled.

"She was the one who told me to kiss you," Desi said to his surprise. 

"_You_ talked to her?" Ephram asked in either utter or complete shock. Desi raised her hand to stop any other ideas that might come to him.

"_Once_, and never again," she reassured him. He smiled and she smiled too. 'And his heart grew three sizes that day.'

"I'm glad. I wonder who else she's told to kiss me."

"Has Jig gone to see her?" Desi asked. Ephram shook his head.

"They've met, but not professionally."

"Good. She'd probably tell her to kiss you too," Desi mentioned. 

"I don't think even _Star_ would tell the girl dating her son to kiss another guy," Ephram told her. Desi started laughing at herself.

"Oh you're right. I completely forgot about that!" Desi said.

"Forgot about it? We saw them yesterday!"

"I know! I just! Well, I'm gone. My mind, it's, gone," Desi said and laughed again. Ephram smiled as a thought occurred to him.

"Desi, what are you doing this afternoon?" 

Cory sat on the ledge of a sink in the boy's bathroom. He balled a piece of toilet paper in his fingers, ran it under the faucet in the sink next to him, and threw it up at the ceiling. One more and he'd finish the "y." His name would be complete. And it'd be up there forever too. Cory Cather's spitballs never fell. His secret was, don't use spit. Actually, there was one bathroom in Buffalo, where an entire "c" fell and hit a kid. That was funny. Cory checked his watch. He should be in History now. Ephram and that friend girl of his were probably discussing Sailor Moon's hair or something equally foolish. Dating his brother and best friends with his cousin. Didn't anybody care that she was crazy? No, no of course they didn't. Why? Because it was _him_ that she kicked the crap out of. Had it been anyone else his mom would have written her a ticket to the crazy farm. Cory had to admit, though, that _hurt_. He had gotten into his fair share, well, probably more than fair, but he had gotten into a lot of fights in his time. Most of the time the guys were at least twice the size of the girl. But her, that really freaking hurt! Evidently she's had practice too. There was some big football jock guy who still had his nose bandaged from when she broke it. And he was her _cousin_ too. Everwood was more violent than Buffalo was. Why the Hell did Cory have to live here? This was beyond unfair. Just because he broke one little law, his mom moved them out here. Sure… she says it's so she can take care of Uncle Andy, but it's not. Cory's mom moved them to this "Leave it to Beaver" town because he broke into one little house. It hadn't even been his idea! Mackie talked him into it. Star didn't know how persuasive Mackie could be. Mackie could talk Resident Bush into declaring peace for crying out loud! And it was only Cory's first offense too. Moving out here was an outlandish overreaction. Like his mom didn't have a criminal past. Star didn't know it, but Cory knew all about is mother's "minor indiscretions." There was her, acting all high and mighty, but he knew. She was just as rebellious as he was. She says Cory gets his behavior from his dad, but no, he gets it from her. That's why she likes Orrie better. It's not that he's 17 and Cory's only 15, it's not that Orrie's the first born, it's the fact that Orrie isn't Star. Orrie is a lot like his father. Rabbi Raymond Jackson. A freaking rabbi, how could Orrie be anything _but_ kind and likable. 

Cory had to admit. There was some jealousy between him and his brother. Orrie was likable, and beloved, and Cory was, well, not. Star pretty much ignored Cory, okay, she pretty much ignored both of them, but she seemed to show a preference for Orrie. And then there were their fathers. Neither of them were around very much, but Orrie's father called a lot and wrote, sent Orrie gifts for Chanukah every year, sometimes he even sent Cory a gift. Cory's father was, well, a father of four. Cory was the second oldest and the other three were just like him. He doubted if Curt Cather paid any of them any mind. So, Cory had two older half brothers, and two younger half sisters. Of them all, Marshall Cather was the oldest. He was twenty one and living in England. Then there was Orrie. Then Cory himself. And then Cory had twin sisters in France from one of his father's affairs. Amanda and Francie Jevaine were five. Cute too, they were adorable. Cory didn't understand a word they said though. He took Spanish. Marshall could talk with them. He was educated and charming, but, despite that, not a bad guy. Cory generally liked his siblings. They were certainly, _different_…

"Well your little friend here is perfectly fine. He seems to be one of the lucky few to have gotten that wide range rabies vaccine they did a few years back. I gave him some other vaccines, a flea path, brushed his teeth, and he seems like a pretty friendly little guy. He also seems to like you. So, if you'd like, I could trim his nails a little and you could keep him as a pet," the veterinarian said placing the inhabited dog cage in front of Irv and Edna. School was just over so they had taken Ein to be checked out. Edna and Irv looked worriedly at each other.

"I… I don't think we can keep him…" Edna said almost regretfully. Then, before the doctor could respond, Wendell walked into the room. He hung his coat up and placed on a smock. He was about to walk behind the counter when he spotted Edna and Irv there. He smiled and walked over to them.

"How are you fine people doing this afternoon. _Beautiful_ day, isn't it?" Wendell said in the slippery way he talked to the guardians of his affection. Edna sighed and was about ready to tell him to "get lost," but he spotted the raccoon.

"Ew! A raccoon! I hate raccoons!" Wendell said taking a few steps from them. Edna turned quickly back to the veterinarian.

"We'll keep him!" 

"Are you sure this is okay with your parents?" Jig asked turning around in her seat to see Ephram and Desi in the back. Desi laughed.

"I could go to Alaska for the weekend and they wouldn't care," Desi informed her.

"Well I assure you this will be more enjoyable than a weekend in Alaska," Orrie informed her from the driver's seat. The four of them were on their way to Denver to see Spirited Away. Each of them quite eager.

"Have you seen Princess Mononoke?" Ephram asked Desi. She shook her head.

"No, but I heard it's great," Desi said and the other three agreed with the gossip.

"You'll have to borrow Ephram's copy one day," Jig told her and she nodded.

"But only if you don't have a weak stomach. Mononoke has a few gruesome scenes. A few decapitations, some mauling, some infectious diseases," Orrie warned her and Jig and Ephram laughed.

"That was really nasty looking, wasn't it?" Ephram asked. Desi looked a little worried.

"Is there going to be a lot of violence in this?" she asked.

"I don't know. Is there Orrie?" Jig asked him. He shook his head.

"No, this one is a bit more child orientated. It's like a really cool fairy tale. There's also a lot more comedy too," he informed them.

"Oh I don't know Orrie. The Tatara women were pretty funny," Ephram informed him.

"Yea well, Spirited Away has an eight feet tall baby," Orrie said and the debate ended there.

Ephram was gone until at least nine, and Delia was spending the night at the Kasshoku household. Dr. Brown had given Delia a little potted violet plant to give to Murasaki as a present for being so nice. Delia didn't understand why a violet plant should be the gift, but Murasaki would. Anyway, with both of the children away, Dr. Brown had the house to himself. He hadn't been alone for so long, he intended to enjoy this night. He poured himself a glass of wine and called out from Gino's. Waiting for the food to get there he walked around their house. It was so silent and peaceful. Who would have known that two children lived within these walls? Dr. Brown walked over to the fireplace and examined all of the pictures on the mantel. One of Ephram as a baby, one of Delia. The picture right in the middle was of Dr. Brown and Julia, at their wedding. She looked so beautiful even the picture of her took his breath away. It shouldn't be possible to miss one person so much. Of course he wasn't the same person he was in New York City, a chunk of his heart was gone. He could never be the same. He had a giant void and two children. Of course he wasn't the same.


	33. kissy kissy part deux

Spirited Away had of course been as wonderful and as charming as expected. The three teens did not drive home disappointed. It was dark, so Orrie spent more time paying attention to the road then the conversation, but he still found it pleasant. They talked about the dragon, the baby, the enchanted soot, and the frog with a butt crack. And of course they talked about the voted favorite character, the Radish Spirit. 

"Do you remember the squeaking noise he made when he walked?" Jig asked Ephram and Desi. They both laughed and nodded.

"What, what was that thing on his head?" Desi asked them.

"It was either a traditional Japanese garment, or a _bowl_," Jig said and all of the car's occupants laughed.

"I don't know what I would have done being trapped in the elevator with that thing," Desi said cringing.

"You would have talked about the weather," Ephram told her and she slapped him playfully.

"Okay! Okay guys! We're back in Everwood now," Orrie announced as they drove into town. The other three looked out the windows as if he had been lying to them.

"Ah, home crap home," Ephram said.

"Who am I letting out first?" Orrie asked them.

"Oh, me, if you don't mind," Desi told him. Orrie nodded and turned left.

"How do you already know your way around town?" Jig asked him and he shrugged.

Ephram walked Desi up to her door when they got there, and nobody asked why. Desi's house was huge and sometimes doubled as a conference center when her father didn't feel like leaving the house. He wasn't going to go to City Hall, so City Hall came to him. How slovenly of him. Anyway, after Desi and Ephram traversed the sidewalk and up the stone steps to the porch, they paused in front of the door.

"Hey thanks for inviting me Ephram. That was one of the greatest movies I've ever seen," Desi thanked him.

"It was nothing," he said with a smile. They fell silent for a few moments. Desi started swaying back and forth slightly out of nervousness.

"Ephram, uh, just to make sure, and everything, tonight, that wasn't a date, right?" Desi asked him.

"_Right_, not a date, just anime," he reassured her.

"Good," she said smiling. She nodded to him and turned to open the door and go inside. Ephram grabbed her arm and pulled her back around to face him. He held her chin in his hand and quickly leaned in and kissed her. After a few seconds he leaned back, said goodbye, and walked back down the steps to the car. Desi waved slightly, still in shock. When Ephram was again in the back seat of the car a smile lit his lips.

"We _saw_ that," Jig told him with a grin. He smirked and kicked the back of her seat.

Jig's house was closest to Desi's so they dropped her off next. This time Orrie walked her to the door and gave her a kiss goodnight. Ephram noted the kiss but was still too excited about his own to give it any attention. Things were definitely different now. He did like Desi. She had her flaws in the beginning, but has proved herself to be a very likable person. She was so cute. Not just cute how her dyed red hair bounces, or the smooth milk chocolate color of her skin, but her laugh was cute, and her smile. She sparkled when she smiled. Everything sparkled when she smiled. Yet, she had this sort of weak exterior, but a great strength inside she was so afraid to let show. She once told Ephram that she was pretty much dead inside, but she wasn't. She had a life like none Ephram had ever seen before. It was almost contagious. Orrie got back into the car and started it up again. He looked over at Ephram who had moved to the front seat after Jig's departure.

"So, you like Desi huh?" Orrie asked him.

"So, you like Jig huh?" Ephram asked him in turn. Orrie laughed.

"It still surprises me that you _don't_."

"Of course it does. It surprises every man when he realizes not every guy in the world is in love with the girl he loves," Ephram told him. Orrie chuckled.

"You're beginning to sound like my _mom_, Ephram," Orrie told him. With that Ephram immediately shut up.

Edna and Irv were in the living room playing Monopoly by firelight when Jig walked in. Edna was the Scottie. Edna came from a very Scottish line, and therefore so did Jig. Actually, that probably had something to do with the fact that Jig's initials were J-I-G. They must have started the game hours ago, because Edna was once again on the brink of victory. She did stack the deck. How, it was impossible to tell, but she did. Jig hugged them both hello and sat down to witness the climax of the game. Before she did, though, she heard a clinking noise accompanied by the slight creaky of floorboards coming closer to her. She looked down and saw Ein walking into the light, a red collar around his neck with a few tags hanging off of it. Jig jumped in surprise. Edna and Irv noticed it.

"Oh yea, we adopted the raccoon. _Ein_ was it?" Edna told her. Jig's eyes widened in shock.

"You _adopted_ the raccoon!" she demanded. They nodded.

"He seems to like you," Irv said as Ein climbed up the side of chair Jig was sitting in, and perched himself on the armrest.

"Don't worry, he's safe. They gave him a bath too," Edna said watching impatiently as Irv moved his thimble around the board. Shyly Jig outstretched her hand and touched the creature for the first time since he fell into her arms. He seemed to enjoy the scratch behind the ear and nuzzled her hand for more once she finished. Jig let out a small laugh.

"He's just like a cat…"

"Yea, actually the raccoon is part of the _dog_ family," Irv said. Edna looked up at him.

"Really?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure," he replied.

"This is cool. I've never had a pet before," Jig said still petting the creature.

"Well, feed him every day, take him for walks, clean him every now and then, and, well, pet him," Edna told her.

"That's cool, I can do that," Jig said.

"Oh, Mack's coming for a visit in a few weeks," Irv mentioned. Edna nodded.

"You know kid, Wendell hates raccoons. Ein there will help you keep him off of you," Edna told her. Jig laughed a little.

"Yea, you'd think having a boyfriend would be enough to do that."

"Have you tried just telling Wendell you don't like him like that?" Irv asked her.

"Oh come on, how could he not get it?" Edna asked him. Irv shrugged.

"Some boys need to just be told straight on," Irv informed her. Edna frowned.

"Some boys need to stop being idiots. I win," she said as Irv handed her his last property. 

Dr. Brown was sitting on the back porch swing when Ephram got home. Ephram stuck his head outside just long enough to announce his return. Dr. Brown told him there was some pork fried rice left over if he was hungry. Ephram said he wasn't, and that he was probably going to go to bed. Dr. Brown nodded and continued to look over the backyard. It was so dark and quiet, and the cold air had that smell like someone was barbecuing somewhere. Dr. Brown never understood that, but he loved it. It smelled crisp and clean. There were so many things different between Everwood and New York City, and he liked them all. Everwood was so quiet and clean. It moved so slowly that one could actually keep up. And the stars. Dr. Brown could actually see stars. Stars. Star. She was ruining what Everwood was. He couldn't even have a few moments of peace without the thought of her ruining it for him. Star and Everwood didn't mix. The boys and Everwood didn't mix. At least Cory didn't. Orrie seemed to enjoy the pace of it well. Orrie was a good kid. How that happened Dr. Brown wasn't sure. The idea of his sister being able to raise a child to be good and kind and decent was beyond belief. Then again, once upon a time, the same could be said for him. That was something he was determined to prove wrong. His kids were good, when they were happy. For now they were happy, and as long as Jig and Murasaki stayed in Everwood, they probably would be. Dr. Brown chuckled slightly to himself as he drunk the last sip of his wine. It _does_ take a town to raise a child. 

Amy had survived "Daddy Daughter Night," but just barely. Her father had spent the entire night talking and complaining about Star Cather with an almost violent distaste. Amy in no way disagreed with him, but enough was enough! He didn't have to go on and on about it. Well, actually, seeing as who he was, he did. Actually, there was a part of Amy that wished he would take Star's advice. Getting lost in the woods of their youth would not hurt either of them. They played there, fell in love there, Hell, Dr. Abbott proposed to Amy's mother under one of those trees. They should go try to find it. Star couldn't be wrong _all_ of the time. The law of averages simply wouldn't allow it.

It was about ten now and Amy lay stomach down on her bed, unable to sleep. She needed something in her life to make sense. Just _one_ thing and she would be happy. As far as requests go this could not have been a very difficult one. Suddenly the phone by her bed rang. It was ten o'clock at night, who would be calling _now_? She picked it up anyway and held it to her ear.

"Hello?" she moaned into it.

"Hi, Amy?" it was Desi. Amy and Desi had a mutual companionship, but hadn't actually become real friends. At least, not real friends that would call and understand at ten at night.

"Desi?" Amy whined into the transmitter. 

"Yea… I know it's late, but something happened tonight I think you ought to know about…" Desi said sounding weary about the words she was about to share.

Amy could handle this. This was good! This was things being put into sensible terms! Ephram kissed Desi! Ephram likes Desi now instead of Amy! Relief! Oh sweet relief! No more worries about Ephram's feelings. He was fine. Amy was now free to love Colin with her entire heart. Which she did, truly! No more headaches, no more sleepless nights. Things were solving themselves for her. Tomorrow she would go see Colin and apologize to him. Apologize for ever being mad at him, apologize for pushing him too hard. She would kiss him and hug him and let him know she was there and that she loved him dearly. Which she did.


	34. i got the first bit here from a dream

The high school football team had gotten into the big game, and since it was being held in Everwood, there was no excuse to miss it. Seeing as how Bright was in the game, the Abbotts had a seat of honor. Harold and Rose took these seats, but Amy sat elsewhere in the crowd. Not for any particular reason, she just didn't feel like watching the game with her parents. Her father was not a fan of the game, but he was a fan of his son. Jig and Orrie sat next to her. The game was just about to start and the three were searching the crowd for, well, anything. Orrie tapped Jig and pointed to a spot in the crowd. Jig looked and tapped Amy and did the same.

"Looks like he finally got over you," Jig told her. She was pointing to Ephram and Desi sitting next to each other. Amy turned to her.

"I don't know what you're taking about," Amy told her.

"Yeah, right…" Jig said with a grin. 

Everwood won and the people rejoiced. When the guys got out of the locker room family and friends gathered around them, congratulating them and patting them on the back. Bright was no different. His parents and little sister, as well as a few admiring female fans, crowded around him. The absence of his grandparents and second cousin didn't seem to affect him. Edna, Irv, and Jig stood out in the parking lot with Ephram, Desi, and Orrie. Dr. Brown was with Delia, who was waiting to congratulate Bright. An idea was beginning to form itself in Ephram's mind, but he decided to ignore it. Currently Ephram's major concern was the raccoon that was leashed and sitting on Jig's shoulder, watching everyone who walked by.

"I don't believe you adopted the animal," Ephram told her.

"Oh his name is Ein, and he's _cute_," Desi said petting him. Ephram sighed.

"Isn't he dirty and filled with diseases?" Ephram asked them.

"Nope. He's healthy and clean," Irv reassured him.

"You're just mad because he jumped on you," Orrie told him.

"Yea, and dumped snow on me, and followed me around…"

"He wasn't following you Ephram, he was following me," Jig said giving Ein a slice of apple. Ephram frowned anyway. 

Nina unlocked her front door and let Sam into the warmness of the house. She flipped through a few pieces of mail. Christmas card, Christmas card, Christmas card. One from Sarah. There better be a picture in it. Nina turned around to see Dr. Brown pulling up and getting out of his car, alone.

"No kids?" she called out to him. He turned and looked at her.

"They have friends!" he replied. She smiled and walked back inside. Sam was already sitting and watching TV. Nina smiled and walked into the kitchen. Chocolate Chip cookies help heal lonely wounds. Even a doctor would prescribe that.

Desi stood in front of the mirror in her room. She applied her lip-gloss and a little eyeliner. In her hair she placed a pink butterfly barrette to draw a few curly strands out of her face. She took a step back from the mirror and straightened her light pink dress. She knew she looked nice, but she was so nervous every flaw appeared to her. It had been exactly one week since Ephram kissed her, and, now, she was having dinner with his family. She could feel her stomach churning and she knew she'd never be able to eat anything. Though from what Ephram has said, that was a benefit. Now Desi has already met Dr. Brown on Halloween, that meeting could have been better, but Desi has yet to meet Ephram's little sister. She's heard plenty on her, of course. Desi still has her ties in the information underworld. Dinner with his family. She was so nervous. She has met hundreds of people throughout her life, but now she was nervous. Ephram's family… His mixed up, difficult, heart wrenching family. And his father's cooking. She was so nervous.

"I don't want to wear this dress…" Delia said as Ephram zippered up the back for her. He turned her around and kneeled down to face her. Ephram was nicely dressed with a navy blue dress shirt and black tie.

"Come on, please? I really like her," Ephram asked her. Delia frowned and sighed.

"Okay, I'll wear the dress. But I'm keeping the hat…" Delia told him. Ephram nodded with a smile.

"Okay how is everyone doing?" Dr. Brown asked walking over to the two. Dr. Brown was dressed up as well.

"Fine, we're fine," Ephram said standing up and turning to the mirror. He started to adjust his tie, which had already been perfectly set. Dr. Brown chuckled slightly and clasped his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Relax Ephram. If you like her we'll like her," Dr. Brown reassured him. Ephram nodded and turned to him.

"I know. And you will! She's great! You'll love her! We're ordering out right?" Ephram asked him. Dr. Brown chuckled and nodded as the doorbell rang.

Desi rubbed her bare legs together a little for warmth. Well, for warmth and to get the circulation moving again. Whenever she was nervous her feet would fall asleep. It was some weird, freaky, odd sort of thing but it never failed. The door finally opened and thankfully Ephram answered. He smiled at her improved beauty and took the bottle of carbonated grape juice from her hands. He ushered her inside where he removed her coat and hung it up. Dr. Brown walked over to her and shook her one hand with both of his with a smile. As Ephram left to place the bottle in the refrigerator, Desi wish she hadn't brought it. Delia walked out of the living room and over to her. Delia was dressed in a soft looking gray blue dress with an Everwood Cast baseball cap, complete with Bright's signature. How Dr. Abbott had been able to talk the school into naming the football team "Cast" she never knew. Sure, once you knew what it meant it was cool, but if you were a rival team it was just stupid. A cast is what you call a group of hawks. The Everwood Hawks would have been fine! That sounds great! But _no_! It had to be the Everwood Cast!

Delia stood still in complete awe of Desi. She was so beautiful. As much as Delia liked looking at her, an idea had given itself life. What would a beautiful, powerful girl like her want with _Delia's brother_? Sure he was a nice guy and could always make Delia feel better, but what would a girl want with him? A boyfriend? Ephram wasn't a boyfriend. He was a big brother. 

"Okay Desi! I was threatened not to cook tonight, so what do you want from Gino's?" Dr. Brown asked her. Desi laughed slightly.

"Um, Pepperoni Chow Mein," Desi told him. Ephram walked back into the room and collectively the three stared at her. Desi laughed.

"Tell the guy it's for me, he'll understand," she said with a wink. Dr. Brown smiled and nodded.

"Okay, I'll do that," he said and walked into the kitchen to make the call. Ephram walked over to Desi and took a hold of her hand.

"Come on, I want to show you my room," he said leading her upstairs. Delia pouted.

"I wore a dress for _this?_" Delia asked him. Ephram was a few feet up the stairs but he turned to look back down at her.

"We'll be back down, don't worry," he reassured her and continued leading Desi upstairs. 

As Ephram lead Desi through the hallway upstairs, they passed by an open door. In front of it Desi made her first resistance to being lead and Ephram turned around to investigate. Desi released Ephram's grasp and walked into the open room. Ephram curiously followed her. It was Delia's room and adorned with horse posters, a few stuffed animals, a returned yo-yo, and of course the Wall of Caps. Desi was already into the room when Ephram flipped the light switch on. Desi gazed around with a smile on her face. Ephram remained at the doorway.

"Oh my god!" she said.

"This isn't my room, it's Delia's," he told her just to make sure. She turned to him.

"Well, _yea_… But, it's creepy…"

"Yea I know, she has like, a hundred caps."

"No, it's not that. It's, well, this room reminds me so much of how my room looked when I was nine," Desi said, stilling looking around in awe.

"You had baseball caps?" Ephram asked her surprised. Desi seemed now, especially in that dress, to be the type who had always been feminine. Like she had rehearsal tea parties when she was young, in preparation for when her stuffed guests would actually arrive. But, contrary to all appearances, Desi nodded.

"One, at least. New York Rangers. Christopher got it for me. He was a hockey _nut_," Desi said with a fond smile for some happy memory Ephram wouldn't mind hearing about some day. 

"He should have gone to Buffalo then. It's a way of life there. No, seriously. They wear shirts that say that…" Ephram said and Desi started off laughing but ended with a sigh. "He should have…" How many of those did she run through her mind six years ago?

"You know I have a horse…" Desi told him, noticing the poster on the wall. Ephram leaned off of the doorframe he had been leaning on in surprise.

"She would love you…" Ephram told her, taking a few big steps ahead in the conversation. Desi laughed.

"She's welcome any time…" Desi reassured him. Ephram nodded and turned off the lights.

"Come on, there's still my room. Unless you'd like to check out my dad's first?"

"Oh shut up."

Orrie walked out of his darkroom with a tray holding his newly printed eight by ten photograph. He took off the extra water and held the picture in his hands. It was off Ephram, Desi, and Jig all smiling into the camera, Ephram sitting between the two girls. Ephram's and Desi's smiles were perfectly normal, nice looking smiles. But Jig's made Orrie grin. She was giving him the biggest, corniest grin she could muster. Orrie sighed as a somewhat melancholy thought entered his mind. Jig was always smiling. She was always happy. Most of the time he believed it, but some of the time, he knew the smile was for show, like this one. He knew nothing of her life outside of Everwood. He knew she had a friend named Isaac once, but besides that, there was nothing. Nothing about her parents, brothers or sisters. Not her house, or pets, or her school. He didn't want to pressure her into telling him anything. If she wanted to, she would. Besides, he kind of had a feeling it wouldn't come out good, and then they wouldn't be able to have as much fun as they've been having together. What they had, it was fun. He didn't expect anything long run to come from it, and he was pretty sure she expected the same. But it was still nice to have someone to hold you, even if it's just for the sake of being held. 


	35. it's why i came up with the 'Desi' chara...

Jig walked into the living room from the kitchen whistling. She had the song stuck in her head and a plate of cookies in her hand. It was already late and Jig couldn't sleep. She was too worried about how Ephram and Desi's night had gone. They had both informed her of their separate worries, but now it was very late and she hadn't heard how it went from either of them. Anyway, as she was walking back to her room she found Edna sitting on the couch, lit by a dying firelight. Jig frowned, set her plate down, and walked over to Edna. Edna watched her sit down in the seat in front of her.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Jig asked her. Edna sighed. Jig was so much like her it was scary. She had her eyes and chin, and even her tone of voice was almost identical. Everyday Edna had to fight the urge to call her 'Kathy.' Edna wasn't the only one too. Irv had to control his words, and Dr. Abbott. There was a large percentage of people in Everwood who had at one point wanted to call Jig by her mother's name. And Jig didn't even know it.

"Is it Harold again?" Jig asked her. Edna shook her head and leaned back in the chair. She took another long sigh.

"Jig, how much do you know about your mother's pregnancy?" Edna asked her. Jig wrinkled her face in confused surprise.

"Just that my dad died when she was six months pregnant…" Jig told her. Edna nodded. That's about as much as she expected her to know.

"Do you know where you were born?" Edna asked her. Jig paused, confused.

"Edna I don't unde-"

"Do you know?" Edna repeated, more forcefully this time. 

"LA," Jig said. Edna shook her head.

~

A discharge. An honorable discharge. On what grounds? Pregnancy. She's been out of service only a few weeks and she already missed Donny. He was her husband. Jesus, she had a husband. Double Jesus! She had a child! Kathy's stomach hadn't yet shown the signs of child baring, but her physical exam did. Wasn't this the time she was supposed to spend going around and shopping for tiny little clothes with her husband? Yea well, maybe for _some_ women. _Kathy's_ husband was off fighting for his life and country. Well, at least for his life. Donny could handle it though. He was the greatest soldier in the platoon. Now that she was gone, of course.

Kathy stood at the Denver airport dressed in her uniform with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Her parents really hadn't talked to her since she had joined the Army, but she knew her Aunt Edna and Uncle Harold would be pleased to help her out. Kathy had never been pregnant before. She needed a little help here. She looked down at her watch. One more minute and it'd be exactly 1500 hours. Or three o'clock. Kathy had to remember to start saying time like a normal person again. Not that Edna wouldn't understand her either way. Kathy's watch beeped as 1500 hours came. She turned casually around and found Edna and Harold marching over to her, Edna in the lead. When Edna reached her they exchanged salutes. 

"Lieutenant…" Edna addressed her. Kathy smiled.

"Edna, Kathy, _Kathy._ I've had enough of this 'Lieutenant' to last me for awhile," Kathy informed her. Edna smiled and they hugged each other hello.

"How ya doing kid?" Edna asked her and they leaned away from each other. Kathy sighed.

"I'm pregnant," Kathy said with a sigh. Edna laughed.

"That happens to the best of us. Come on, our car's over here," Edna said leading her through the airport.

"I'll take your bag," Harold said after a few paces as he took the duffel bag from Kathy's hands. Kathy laughed slightly and hugged him.

"Oh hi Uncle Harold!" she said. He laughed.

"Hello Sweetie," he replied.

By the time their car pulled up into the Abbott's driveway it was five o'clock. Kathy was no idiot, and she knew something lay for her behind that oak door. To her lack of enthusiasm she was right. Harold, not Edna, had organized a little party for her. Growing up with her parents, Kathy would spend every summer in Everwood, so she knew everyone in town pretty well. And since she was coming back, they all had to show up. With balloons. Kathy let out an aggravated sigh as Harold carried her bag into her room. Hopefully later someone would mention to her which one was her room.

Maggie Harper led Kathy over to a very uncomfortable couch and made her sit down. Standing wasn't good for the baby. Edna sat on Kathy's other side so she could see and wait for a time to get Kathy out of there. Maggie was a nice, slightly over weight Black woman, with nicely graying black hair. Maggie's husband Irv had a slightly more familiar haircut to Kathy. He was clean bald. A lot of guys in the army were clean bald like that. Maggie asked Kathy a few questions about how she's been, where the husband was, and Maggie offered any assistance she could possibly ever offer. Kathy answered her questions and thanked her kindly. Then Kathy's cousin walked over to her. Dr. Harold Abbott Jr. had that little smirk constantly on his face. The kind where you didn't know if it was from disgust or actual pleasure. Behind him followed his wife Rose, a nice woman, and a two year old son. The boy had the curliest blonde hair Kathy had ever seen, and a Band-Aid on his elbow. He also had his thumb in his mouth. Harold Jr. was not going to sit down next to his cousin, so she stood up to greet him. Despite the long list of other things Harold Jr. might have done upon this greeting, he did what only those who knew him best would guess. He leaned forward and gave his cousin a big hug.

~

Of course Desi had a personal item she could get from Gino's! She was the mayor's daughter, she probably got special perks all over town. But this one Ephram liked. It was better than he had thought it would be. Pepperoni Chow Mein. Who knew? Oh things had gone well. His dad and Delia had loved Desi, (especially with the mention of the horse,) and Desi had loved them back. Things were going well in Ephram's World. He was happy. He was actually, in the purest sense of the word, happy. Party on dude!

~

Kathy missed being able to walk. For the past month or so now Kathy didn't walk anywhere. She waddled. So _this_ was pregnancy. This was what women through the centuries have had to go through. The fact that the human race was still in existence was a freaking miracle. There was no way Kathy was going to do this again. This child of her's was the last. This daughter. That's where she was just coming from. Harold Jr. had just finished checking up on her so now Kathy was waddling back through town to Edna and Irv's house. Kathy didn't know much about pregnancy coming into this, but she was sure most doctors don't talk about another woman's pregnancy to their patients. Truth was Kathy liked to hear him talk about his newly developing child. Rose was pregnant too, with a girl, just like Kathy. At least Rose had the experience of one birth already behind her. Rose made it look easy.

As Kathy waddled along down the street a school bus pulled up next to her. The doors opened and she looked in to see Irv sitting there. He got up, walked off the bus, and over to her.

"Come on I'll give you a ride," he told her.

"Or Irv you're a saint," she said as he helped her onto the bus, "I'm going to name this kid after you!"

"I don't think she'd like being called Irv," he said with a chuckle getting her into the seat directly behind his. 

"Ira then…" Kathy said. Irv laughed as he closed the door.

"That's better. Where are you headed?"

There was a car parked in the driveway when Kathy got home. It was a car she had never seen, and it had a US government plate. Irv helped her into the house and she thanked him for his troubles. He said with a smile that he had none. When Kathy opened the door and walked in, the two people sitting on the couch stood up. One was Edna with a sorrowful expression on her face and a tissue clenched in her hands. The other was a man in uniform. Kathy froze in her spot.

"Oh no…" she uttered.

There was nothing but dog tags to remember him by. Dog tags and a wallet sized photograph. Then there was their daughter, of course. It was Kathy's daughter now. Her's alone. No father, no husband, not even a corpse. They had a funeral for him anyway. Coffin, gravestone, everything. It was snowing in Everwood that day. Not a harsh snow, but one that fell just enough to make everything seem slower. Kathy closed her eyes and felt the warm tears cascading down her cheeks and collecting at her chin as the riflemen fired into the air. Two soldiers lifted the American flag that laid on Kathy's husband's empty coffin and folded it into a triangle. One walked over to where she stood and handed it to her. She'd rather have her husband.

"He was a fine soldier, he fought bravely," the soldier told her. Suddenly a rage filled Kathy's heart. This soldier had never met her husband. He had been told to say those things to her. He said them to every war widow.

"I know that better than you do," she told him sharply but quietly. He nodded his head with some mystifying understanding and turned his back to her to walk away. The other soldier that had folded her husband's flag held a trumpet to his mouth and played Taps as the empty coffin was lowered into the ground.

A few weeks later Kathy sat at the piano in Edna and Harold's living room. She would hit a few notes and then jot something down on the pieces of paper standing in front of her. She hadn't smiled for about a month now. She wasn't happy. She would just sit at the piano, writing this melodic tune on the piano. Edna walked over to her and leaned against the piano, both hearing and feeling every note. She gazed down at her niece sadly. Edna had seen lots of men die in her time. Some of them in her hands. But she had never met any of the wives. Edna had never met the ones left behind. Kathy was her family too. Her favorite niece. Edna leaned off of the piano and walked behind Kathy. Her eyes went to the messy sheet of paper. Written at the top was 'Juliet's Lullaby.' That surprised Edna and she looked down at Kathy.

"So you picked a name?" Edna asked her. Kathy nodded.

"A tragic love story, it seemed to fit…" Kathy replied simply. Edna agreed and sat down on the piano bench next to her. Edna sighed.

"There will be other men, Kathy," Edna told her. Kathy shook her head.

"I'll never love another man, Edna. Donny was it. He was the one. There will never be anyone else," Kathy told her. Edna's sad expression greatened. Edna wrapped her arms around Kathy's shoulders and Kathy leaned in against her, slowly beginning to cry.

"He's her _father_! He's her _daddy_! She'll never even get to _see_ him!" Kathy cried out.

"She'll have you," Edna reassured her.

"But I don't know what I'm doing!" Kathy cried out. Edna pulled her off of her and held her face in her hands. Edna looked right into her swollen red eyes.

"You're a mother, you'll know what to do, Kathy. And she'll be _your_ daughter. She'll be tough as nails and twice as sharp," Edna reassured her. Kathy let out a small laugh and hugged Edna again. 

~


	36. chibi bright is adorable

Irv walked quietly down the stairs just enough to see Edna and Jig sitting side by side on the couch. Edna's voice carried throughout the house, so Irv already knew the story she was telling. He knew it all already, but now he knew it was being told. Told to the one person who deserved to hear it. The subject of Kathy was practically forbidden in the house. It wasn't a stated rule, it was one that they all seemed to have lived by. Irv never agreed with it, so he was glad for this night. He was also glad it was Edna telling it to her. Irv would have been too scared to do it himself.

~

Kathy never really appreciated pickles until she got pregnant. Since, she and the fine pickle have had many splendid and delicious moments together. Her and Edna had just gone grocery shopping and food was kind of on Kathy's mind. She was hungry and her stomach hurt a little because of it. She gazed out the window at the dark Febuaray sky. Edna was driving and she and Kathy might have been able to hold a conversation but Edna was too focused on the huge amounts of snow falling from the sky and blocking her view of the road. Soundly without any warning to Kathy or Edna, Kathy yelled out in pain. Edna looked over in worry and saw a familiar look on Kathy's face. It was a labor look.

~

Dr. Brown walked into his office early Saturday. There was some paper work he needed to do that Edna couldn't do for him. He hoped that since he left so early, he'd be able to get home before either of the kids woke up. Of course he had left them a note on the refrigerator. That was the one place he was sure they would see it. Dr. Brown took a few steps around a corner into the middle of the waiting room when he stopped. Sitting on the floor was Jig. The spot didn't look completely random, either, she had to move a chair to get to it. Dr. Brown removed his coat and gloves and laid them over a chair. He took a few steps closer to her.

"Have you ever met the person who delivered you, Dr. Brown?" Jig asked him suddenly. 

"Just the once…" Dr. Brown said in honesty. Actually he hoped she would find some humor in the statement, maybe it would lighten the excessively calm look she had. It didn't.

"Edna delivered me…" Jig said. Dr. Brown nodded not so much in understanding, but in the beginning of understanding.

"I didn't know Edna's been to LA," he said for the sake of saying something. Now Jig removed her eyes from where they had been placed on the floor, and moved them up to him.

"She hasn't. I was born _here_," Jig told him, obviously shocked out of emotion.

"In Everwood?" he asked her surprise. She let out one, small, breathy laugh.

"Yea, in Everwood. _Here_," she said placing the tip of her pointer finger to the floor. Dr. Brown's eyes widened in surprise. Then after a few moments of silence they fell into a sympathetic smile.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. Jig blinked and looked away from him.

"I, I, I don't know. I, I'm from _Everwood_…" she said.

"It's not a bad place to be from."

"I, I know, but. I, _belong_, here, in Everwood."

"It's not a bad place to belong in."

"But I'm from LA!" Jig yelled standing up. Dr. Brown walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You belong here in Everwood just like the rest of us, Jig. That's why you're here. Now come on, I'll take you to Ephram," he said ushering her out of the clinic.

Ephram and Jig scoured the wide field in search of one thing. They split up but made sure they were always in viewing range of the other. This was the last place either of them wanted to get lost in, even if it was during the day. Finally Jig found what they were looking for and she called Ephram over to her. When he got there he found her standing in front of a gravestone. Carved into the stone was her father's name. Ephram gave a worried glance at Jig, to make sure she was okay. Her face held a blank stare, like she was lost in thought. Her hands were held up to her chest, holding her father's dog tags. Jig actually coming from Everwood changed a lot of things. She was no longer the streetwise city girl the two of them had thought her to be, she was just like everyone else here. It was like magically her years spent growing up in Los Angeles meant nothing. It was like she had been a part of Everwood's community all of her life. Her father was even buried here. Well, his coffin was.

After a few moments in silence Ephram tugged on her coat sleeve.

"Come on, let's go, it's starting to snow," he told her. Slowly she turned to him, blinked whatever deep thoughts still lingered in her mind, and nodded. She placed the dog tags back under her shirt and together they walked out of the cemetery. As they walked along the street next to the cemetery gate, they found Dr. Abbott walking toward them. When they reached each other Dr. Abbott shifted nervously during his mandatory salutations. He was trying to draw their attentions away from the single rose he was holding in his hand. A rose for his father. Dr. Abbott then looked at the two of them, and then at the cemetery. His Mensa class mind proved itself and he made a very correct deduction. And he knew it. He cleared his throat because it was always a good thing to do before something kind and meaningful is said. He turned to Jig.

"I wish I had gotten the chance to meet your father, Jig," he said but started up again before she could get a 'the same for me,' in, "your mother was a wonderful person, and she loved him very much. As she did you. She was very strong. I liked her very much, even though she did call me 'Harry.' I was very sad when I learned she died."

"Thank you, Harold," Jig told him, a slight smile lifting the corner of her mouth. He nodded to her and walked past them to the cemetery. 

~

"Which one is she, Harry?" Kathy asked her cousin. Dr. Abbott was too happy as he pointed through the window to the baby girl to notice the forbidden 'Harry.' Kathy was holding in her arms a three month old baby girl and Dr. Abbott was holding his two year old son. The boy was less interested with the few dozen babies behind the glass, as he was with the one with in reach. 

"Oh, she's so beautiful!" Kathy said pointing her baby to look through the glass. Her daughter wasn't interested in anything but the giant hippo painted on the wall over her mother's shoulder.

"She looks like Rose."

"What's her name?"

"Amy Nicole Abbott," Dr. Abbott told her, the name making him smile.

"Amy?"

"Rose's best friend growing up."

"Oh that's so nice. So what do you think of having a baby sister, Bright?" Kathy asked the boy. He turned his animated eyes from the baby to the mother.

"Toy!" he yelled smiling. Kathy and Dr. Abbott laughed.

"How's Rose doing?"

"Oh, she's tired. Amy took a lot out of her…" Dr. Abbott said and didn't understand why Kathy started laughing.

~

Ephram and Jig sat on the couch in his living room. Actually their backs were on the couch, their legs were on the coffee table in front of them. They were watching Ephram's DVD of Fushigi Yuugi. When one episode ended and the ending credits started to roll Jig turned to Ephram. She hit him in the chest slightly to get his attention. He turned to her and she smiled.

"Thanks for going with me to the cemetery," she told him. He smiled briefly.

"It's no problem. That's what friends are for. I still don't understand why you didn't ask Orrie, though," he said looking back at the TV. Jig bit her lower lip and turned back to the TV too.

"He doesn't know," she said. Ephram turned back to her.

"You haven't told him yet?" he asked her surprised.

"It hasn't come up…"

"Yea, sure. Jig, you can't _not_ tell your boyfriend that you're an orphan. And you know I mean it like-"

"Yea I know, Ephram," she said. Ephram frowned.

"Look, he's Orrie. He should _know_. I mean, I'm only your friend and I know…"

"You're my _best_ friend, you'll last longer," she told him. Ephram smiled. 

"That's showing a big bout of confidence for you and Orrie, now isn't it?" he asked her. She laughed and elbowed him.

"We're _fifteen_! No one finds the person they were meant to be with at _fifteen_!"

"Seventeen."

"What?"

"Orrie's seventeen…" Ephram reminded her. Jig closed her eyes.

"Oh yea. I keep forgetting that. Older guy. Older guys are cuter…" Jig said. Ephram laughed.

"What are you talking about? I'm just as cute as he is…"

"No you're not. You're all skinny and, you're like a spider, Ephram," she said picking up his wrist and shaking it so his hand moved. He took his hand back.

"I'm human until I start climbing the walls…"

"Oh but if you could climb the walls you and Desi could do one of those cool upside down kisses like in Spider-Man. Desi even has red hair," Jig pointed out. Ephram laughed.

"How did we go from talking about you parents to Spider-Man?" Ephram asked her. Jig laughed.

"It's funny how that works."


	37. ya know what? this is a REALLY long fic!

Desi sat in the school's newspaper office quickly typing her newest story into the database. The school had so much trouble deciding on what should be the senior play, they decided to write one. 'The Collective Tales of Everwood.' Stuff like how the town was formed, the Kissing Bridge, even the Gordon house. So far the only positive cast was Ephram Brown at the piano. Besides that nothing was for sure. Casting was being done this week. 

"I don't believe you put my name in the paper," Ephram said as he and Desi walked down the sidewalk in front of the school. Ephram held a piece of paper out in front of him, reading his girlfriend's article. She smiled.

"It's fact, and I have to write fact."

"Couldn't you have just written 'the piano player?'"

"I have to write as much fact as I have, rather," she corrected herself. He chuckled slightly. Then they both yelled in surprise as balls of snow flew at them. They looked over to see Jig and Orrie renewing their attack. Ephram and Desi started laughing and bending down to pick up snow to throw in return. When the paper got hit to the ground Desi raced to recover it.

"Not the paper! Not the paper!" she yelled laughing.

"Forget the paper!" Ephram said tackling Desi and pulling her into the snow with him. She laughed and threw snow on to him. Jig and Orrie walked over to them, both laughing.

"We won, right?" Jig asked Orrie. Orrie nodded with a smile.

"Oh, yea," he said. Ephram and Desi got to their feet.

"We were ambushed," Ephram told them. Jig laughed.

"You let your guard down!" Jig corrected him.

"How'd you get so good at throwing snowballs anyway?" Desi asked Jig. She shrugged with a smile. Orrie picked up the fallen paper and handed it back to Desi.

"I read your article, I liked it," he told her. Desi smiled and thanked him.

"Are either of you trying out for the play?" Desi asked Jig and Orrie. They both laughed.

"No, we're vowed spectators," Jig informed her.

"Oh come on, Jig, why not lend your musical talents to the play?" Orrie asked her. She smirked and elbowed him in the side. 

"You play an instrument?" Desi asked her surprised. Jig grinned and the two boys started laughing.

"Eleven of them!" Orrie answered for her.

"Well, ten and a half…" Jig corrected him.

"I'm teaching her the piano," Ephram explained to Desi. She nodded.

"That's cool, I wish I could play an instrument," Desi said with a sigh.

"Yea well, I wish I had a big giant mansion and my own horse," Jig said.

"Instead you have two people who love you very much and a cool raccoon," Desi told her and Jig smiled.

"I suppose you're right," she said. Orrie subtlety took her hand in his.

Edna sat on a bench on Main St. She sat there, very quietly, watching everyone walk by. It had snowed, and just as snow always seems to do, it covered up all painful memories. For everyone but Edna, that is. She let out a long, genetic, heavy sigh and looked over to the empty space on the bench next to her. 

~

"Are you sure you have everything?" Edna asked as she zippered up the coat of the five month old baby. The mother sighed and rolled her eyes.

"We have everything, Edna. Everything has already been sent to the train station, and whenever the bus decides to get here, we'll be joining it," Kathy reassured her. Edna nodded.

"Right, right. And this place you have in LA…"

"It's beautiful, beach front property. Mom and Dad are footing the bill until I can handle it myself," Kathy reassured her. Edna nodded again. She leaned out into the road a bit to see the bus heading toward them. Kathy handed the baby Juliet to Edna and picked up a backpack from the bench next to them. She put the backpack on and took the baby back. The bus pulled up next to them and opened its doors. Kathy and Harold hugged, and Harold kissed the baby's head.

"Now don't worry about us, Edna, Harold. Juliet and I are going to be fine. You'll see," Kathy said. Edna took the baby from her hands.

"Now I trust you. I'm just going to miss Jig here," Edna told Kathy. Kathy smiled but was confused.

"Jig?"

"Her initials…" Edna told her. Kathy smiled again.

"So they are, I hadn't realized that. But, Aunt Edna, you don't have to miss her. You'll see her again, I promise," Kathy reassured her. Edna smiled and handed the baby back to its mother.

"See you later kid," Edna said as Kathy walked onto the bus.

"Aye Sir," Kathy said with a small salute as the doors closed.

~

It was night and the door was locked but he had his key. He could barely see in the house but he could make out enough to be glad he was home. The only sound to be heard as he walked through the living room was Edna's snoring coming from upstairs. With a smile and a shake of his head he dropped his bag on the ground and slid off his coat. The coat went on the back of the couch and he made his way over to his room. The door opened with the familiar soft creak. It was too dark to see any of the walls but the light coming through the curtains made out the shape of the bed. He kicked off his snowy boots and made his way over to his old bed.

When all of the screaming and yelling stopped, two people sat on the couch and two people stood in front of them. The two standing people were Edna and Irv, neither one very pleased at being woken up at one o'clock on a Wednesday morning. One of the two on the couch was of course Jig, no more pleased than Edna or Irv, but a deal more shocked. The other person on the couch was a boy. He was 19, Black, about six feet tall with dred locks just long enough to tied behind his head. He was unhappy and shocked just like Jig. He was also the topic of Irv's loud voice.

"I _told_ you I was coming for a visit!" the boy said in his own defense.

"Yes but generally you actually specify a date before you show up! And why one o'clock in the morning Mack?" Irv yelled at him. Edna was keeping silent and Jig was too astonished to say anything. Irv was _yelling_…

"I thought I would come in and surprise you guys!" Mack explained.

"Well mission accomplished!" Irv said turning away from the boy. Mack sighed.

"Look, I think I should be allowed to get away with concealing one little thing like an arrival time if you can get away with concealing something more!" Mack said. Irv turned back to him.

"What have I ever concealed from you?" Irv demanded from him.

"Oh, I don't know. How about, _who the Hell is she_?" he asked motioning his hands to Jig. Irv looked at Jig and realized the boy was right. Irv hadn't meant to conceal Jig from Mack, he just kept forgetting. He sighed.

"Mack this is Jig, Jig, this is Mack Reidy. Mack's my grandson," Irv told her. Jig's eyes widened in surprise.

"You have a grandson!" she yelled. Irv nodded.

"Yes he has a grandson! Now who the Hell are _you_?" Mack asked her.

"She's my great niece," Edna told him.

"Do you remember Kathy?" Irv asked him. Mack thought about it.

"Vaguely."

"Jig's her daughter," Irv explained. Mack's eyes widened slightly in surprise and he turned back to Jig. He had a vague memory of the mother, but for some reason he had a better one of the baby.

"That still doesn't explain why she was in my bed," Mack told his grandfather. Irv sighed.

"Mack your bed is in _Seattle_," Irv told him, "you can sleep in the guest room while you're here. Now let's get to bed, it's _late_ and I'm _tired_."

Dr. Brown peeped out of his office door to watched Edna stomp around the waiting room, slamming books and folders. Something was wrong and Dr. Brown wasn't brave enough to ask her what. The only person who could ask Edna was one who had two heads and didn't mind one of them being bitten off. It looked personal anyway, and Dr. Brown didn't want to pry where he didn't belong. He could just ask Ephram if he knew anything about it. Maybe he could talk to Irv. Irv probably knew. Dr. Brown could ask anyone, but not Edna. 

"Mack's in town?" Amy asked excitedly sitting down next to Jig. They were at lunch and originally the table had occupied Orrie and Jig on one side and Ephram and Desi on the other, but now it occupied Amy as well. Jig had just been regaling the tale of the night before. 

"You know Mack?" Jig asked her surprised. Amy nodded.

"Yea, he's my cousin, kind of…" Amy said with a smile.

"Well who is he?" Ephram asked her.

"He's Irv's grandson," Amy said simply. Jig nodded.

"Yea but, Irv has a grandson?" Jig said, the fact still surprising her. Amy nodded smiling.

"Yea. Didn't you guys know Irv was married before?" Amy questioned them.

"Well, I did…" Desi said. She didn't know much but she knew there had been a first wife.

"Right, well, Irv and Maggie had a daughter, Lily. Then Lily had a son, Mack."

"Okay, but why is my room his room?" Jig asked her. Amy went on.

"Well Mack's father had come and gone before Lily even knew she was pregnant. And he travels the world or something. No one can find him," Amy explained.

"I know that feeling…" Orrie muttered just loud enough to be heard.

"When Mack was two his mother died of breast cancer. So he came here to live with Irv and Maggie," Amy continued. Ephram looked at Jig but she just bit her lower lip and said nothing.

"Then ten years ago Maggie died, and it was just Irv and Mack. Until Irv married Grandma, of course," Amy finished. It was nice having people listen to her. She had almost forgotten what it was like. Orrie chuckled slightly and turned to Jig.

"I suppose that makes him your brother, Jig," he told her, taking a sip from his bottle of water. Jig turned to him.

"How do you figure _that_?" she demanded.

"Well," Orrie started, "his legal guardian is Irv, right? And you're legal guardian is Edna, right? Well Irv and Edna are married, so you're like siblings." Jig stared at him blankly for a few moments before turning away from him, shaking her head.

"No, Orrie, just, _no_…"


	38. i mean, 70000 words! holy crap!

Delia and Murasaki had to sit very still on Murasaki's couch. Mayumi was drawing them. She had an art project to do for school so she thought she'd draw the two friends. She would give them each a copy too.

"Is it alright if I draw you in kimonos?" Mayumi asked them. Murasaki said it was okay. Delia would have smiled but it might have ruined the drawing. She'd never worn a kimono before, she was curious what she would look like in one.

"What design do you want on them?" Mayumi asked them.

"How about sakura," Murasaki suggested. Mayumi smiled and nodded.

"A classic, alright. They're easy to draw too."

"What's sakura?" Delia asked but without turning her head. Mayumi laughed.

"Cherry Blossoms. Very classic Japan," Mayumi told her.

"In Japan, when all of the cherry trees are in bloom, some towns have celebrations," Murasaki told her.

"Have you ever been to Japan, Murasaki?" Delia asked her. Mayumi laughed.

"Dozens of times. Our grandparents live there."

"We're the only bit of the family who doesn't live there."

"Actually it took awhile for the family to get used to the fact that dad married a gaijin."

"What's a gaijin?"

"A foreigner. Mom's American born," Mayumi told her.

"Oh, my mom was Jewish, but my dad's family didn't mind," Delia said. The two Japanese girls fell silent, preferring to leave the mother subject to rest.

Jig and Mack were in the kitchen washing the dishes. Jig was washing and Mack was drying and placing away. They worked in silence, occasionally giving the other an angered stare. They each hated the presence of the other. It disrupted the way things were. It also made them rivals of the room, which now showed many signs of belonging to Jig. That wall of her's was almost completely filled with photos of smiling men. A few of them she took herself. Irv was up there, so was Dr. Brown, and Orrie quite a few times. She loved his smile. Surprisingly Ephram was no where to be seen in the collage. She had no photos of him. A few of Isaac, those were easy to get and helpful when getting up in the morning. But for Mack's point, his name was carved into the doorframe. The closet door still had the crayon marks from when he drew on it so many years ago. The room's history laid with Mack, but, as they both really knew, its future lay with Jig.

Irv and Edna had noticed the few angered glances the two were always giving each other. They sensed the silent war. Unfortunately, neither of them knew what to do about it. When Edna's children were mad, they would yell and scream, and occasionally kick. That was easy to handle. Send them to their rooms, revoke whatever. Irv only ever had one child at a time, so he never really handled sibling disputes. But this silent rivalry was new to them both. Actually it was new to Jig and Mack as well. Both were accustomed to voicing their disagreements, loudly even. But for some reason they kept this one silent. They supposed it was due to the fact that neither of them had much cause to be upset. A person's presence was terms for discomfort, but not argument. Or in this case, a lack there of. 

When the dishes were done the two walked out into the living room to find Edna and Irv playing Monopoly again. Edna was the Scottie and Irv was the Thimble, and there were two pieces left unclaimed. The game had originally come with more pieces, but the game was old and pieces had been lost. The remaining pieces were actually a shoe and the revolver from a missing game of Clue. Menacingly Mack took the revolver piece and Jig got the shoe. A few hours later it was ten and bedtime for the entire house. Edna had won. Edna always wins. It was a necessity to pass Jig's room to get to the guest room, so she and Mack ended up taking the same route to their rooms. Just as they were alone in the hallway Mack finally spoke to her.

"What kind of a name is 'Jig' anyway…" he muttered. Jig frowned.

"What kind of a name is 'Mack?'" she replied and entered her room as he headed down to his. 

Ephram lay awake in his room. He was stomach up on his bed, in the dark, looking at the ceiling. He wished Desi were there. Not on his bed, necessarily, but with him, anywhere. Though of all the places for Desi to be, his bed wasn't one of the worst. He missed her. It had been a few hours only, but he missed her laugh, and her smile, and the way her hair bounced as she walked. He missed her smell a lot. Desi had a nice smell. Desi smelled like lilacs, and Ephram loved lilacs. Jig had an interesting smell. Not bad, obviously, but not as sweet as Desi's. Jig smelled like, well, she smelled a little like leather, and a little like butterscotch. Jig was weird like that. But Desi, Desi was great like that. Desi was just that eccentric enough to be lovable, but not eccentric enough to cause great amounts of confusion. She wasn't like Jig that way. Jig was, she was an enigma wrapped in some crazy kind of thing. Happy most the time with a few spouts of depression. And, for the most part, Ephram liked the depression more. When Jig was depressed he was the one who got to take care of everything. _He_ was the helper. But Desi, oh Desi had that way of always letting Ephram feel like he was taking care of everything, like he was in charge. Whether or not he actually was only Desi knew. He expected that he wasn't, but there were times he really felt he was. Desi knew how important that was to him. She knew him. Jig thought she did, but she didn't. Desi knew him. Desi loved him. Jig loved Orrie. Not enough to tell him about her parents, though… 

Ephram and Jig did love each other. Neither could imagine life without the other. But it wasn't romantic love. It never would be. She didn't know him, and he probably didn't know her. They were like family. Jig was pretty much a part of his family. His dad and sister approved of Desi and liked her a lot, but Jig was a daughter and a sister. He didn't have any friends like that in New York City. He also never had a girlfriend as beautiful, smart, kind, and so completely caring as Desi. He never could have dreamed… Did Desi know she was every dream he had ever had, come to life? All of the things he had accused her of being before… he hoped she would forgive him. He never would forgive himself, he knew, but maybe she would. Desi was so perfect she knew what to forget and what to remember. How many guys find a girl like that?

Ephram had a little tell system where he could tell whether or not he was in love. He realized that he was in love if he started placing his name to hers. Mrs. Desdemona Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Ephram Brown. Desi Brown. It sounded like a newscaster's name. Then a funny idea hit him. When Jig gets married, will whoever call her 'Jig?' Would Ephram still call her that? Say she married Orrie, would they then call her 'Jij?' Juliet Jackson. Alliteration, you have to love it. Juliet Jackson. Desi Brown. Amy, well, probably Hart. Amy was free to be with Colin again. That's why Ephram loved Desi. She got him out of that triangle. It was a hell of a triangle too. Of soap opera proportions, even. He was glad to be rid of it, though. He still liked Amy, but she wasn't all there was anymore. Now he had Desi, and Desi had him, and only him. He deserved a girl who wasn't sharing her heart. So did Colin. Things were going right.

Whenever Desi couldn't sleep she would dance. Of course if she was ever caught she would shrink into nothingness, but at one in the morning the chances of being caught were minimum. The current song providing her with a rhythm was a classic Spanish tango, or _something_. Desi could do a thousand different types of ballroom dancing, but telling them apart by name, nothing! This version of the song was in English, actually, she had one in the original Spanish, but this one she could sing with. 

"If you really love me, say yes! But if you don't dear, confess! You only tell me, perhaps! Perhaps! _Perhaps_!" Desi found herself singing as she waltzed around her large room. She had to admit, her room and wonderful acoustics. Unfortunately the room didn't come with a partner. Ephram probably couldn't waltz anyway. Then again, everything Desi thought Ephram probably couldn't do, he did. Everything from the theme of 'I Love Lucy' on the piano, to touching his nose with his tongue. Oh what a talented guy she had! Dr. Brown looked like he could waltz. He looked like the type to be able to romance any woman. Dinner, wine, waltzing. Ephram lacked his father's romantic stature, but he made up for it in other ways. Those small, short smiles he always made. Those were the cutest thing. Even if they did make him look like the Grinch. Actually Desi really loved his eyes. Oh what things did they hold? Oh she loved him. He had such a strong face, and yet he was so shy and unsure of himself. 

Ephram was like a robin, who hadn't realized he could fly. Desi was a nightingale. She couldn't really sing well, she just liked the idea of being a nightingale. She was beautiful and had a real voice, but she was caged and put on show. Desi frowned as she realized she wouldn't be able to teach Ephram how to fly. She'd just be able to tell him how great it is to be free. Ephram needed another robin. But, unfortunately, the only other robin in Everwood was tied up with a nice friendly blue jay. Was it even possible for a robin to be friends with another robin, but in _love_ with a blue jay? Well, evidently it was. Thanks to Desi. There was something there, but she got him first. She loved Ephram. Things were going right.

Star was slowly beginning to hate it here in Everwood. It was only one and already the entire town was closed down. And it had been so for _hours_. If this were Buffalo, Star could go out, get a drink, see a movie, and discuss the existence of God with some guy on the street. But no, this was Everwood. No bars open, no movie theaters, and _all_ of the people actually had homes to go to. It was like living in a rerun of 'Leave it to Beaver.' She almost hit a woman today when she said "golly." That's just _not_ natural. And the newspaper! Whatever happened to good fashioned murders and assault? In Everwood the front page story was Mayor Quincampoix was going out of town to discuss something with the governor. What, it didn't say, when, it didn't say. They could just be playing golf for all anyone knew. He wasn't even taking his family. His wife and daughter were staying in Everwood. Star had to admit though, the girl was getting on her good side. She never really expected her to kiss Ephram. That took guts, even if it was just on the cheek. Actually the person in Everwood Star saw with the most guts, was that Jig girl. Dating _her_ son. That took more than guts, that took _balls_. Though, Star supposed, she would have been braver to date Cory, but dating Orrie was brave enough for Star. Getting into anything where the long term effects were being Star's daughter, well, Star admired anyone who took the chance.

Star walked into her kitchen and noticed the unopened mail on the counter. Why she had forgotten to open it she had no idea. It must have just eluded her. She flipped through most of them. Bills and the like. But one was of some interest. The return address was only the name 'Rabbi R. Jackson.' It was addressed to her and not the son they shared in common. Star opened it and read down the familiar handwriting. When she was done she sigh and placed the note in her pocket. She didn't want Orrie to accidentally find it.


	39. this thing is longer than my two novels

"Wait, so is Kira the _sword_, or the _devil_?" Ephram asked Orrie. Orrie was at his locker, exchanging his coat for some books. He sighed, closed his locker and turned to Ephram.

"_Both_. He's the reincarnation of the sword, but made a deal with the devil as a kid to save his life," Orrie explained.

"That's a little selfish, isn't it?" Ephram asked him. Orrie shook his head.

"Actually, no. You see Kira wanted to save his life because he had lost his mother some time before."

"So?"

"_So_, Kira didn't want his father to become any sadder, which Kira's death would have caused…"

"Oh."

"Actually, Kira also wanted it so that his father would hate him, so when he _did_ die, his dad wouldn't be sad," Orrie went on. Ephram nodded in respect for the anime character.

"Who, Kira? He's cute, with the glasses," Jig said appearing suddenly next to them. The two boys turned to her and found something different than they expected. Instead of the normal Jig with her long brown hair tied behind her head and several thousand layers of clothes, they found something more, or rather, less. Her hair was short and flared around her face, the parts that showed out from under the cowboy hat that sat on her head. She wore a denim jacket over a red turtle neck shirt, and a pair of actually form fitting jeans with black combat boots. She noticed the two gaping mouths and breathless boys so she laughed. She did a little turn for them.

"How do I look, cool, huh? Desi cut my hair, she did a good job," Jig asked them. Neither of the boys said anything. Desi walked over to them giggling excitedly.

"Isn't she cute?" Desi asked them hugging Jig's shoulders. 

"I… I…" Ephram uttered and Orrie nodded in agreement. Desi looked at her watch.

"Oh, Jig, we have to go show Amy before homeroom," Desi said dragging Jig away from the two boys, neither of which had moved anything from the first sighting. Once Desi and Jig were gone, Ephram turned to Orrie.

"She's _beautiful_!" Ephram sputtered. Orrie turned to him.

"I told you she was!"

"Yea but I never actually _believed_ you!" Ephram told him. Orrie blinked and laughed, shaking his head.

"Just don't touch," Orrie warned him.

"Oh, right, never touch. _Eh_…" Ephram said and cringed. Orrie hit him slightly.

"Hey…"

"_What_? Oh come on, she's, she's _Jig_."

"Yea, and _Desi_ is _Desi_."

"She _sure_ is…" Ephram said with a fond smile. Orrie laughed and shook his head. 

"You are _so_ gone, Ephram."

"What? _I love her_…" Ephram told him.

"And it's _so_ _cute_…" Orrie said and Ephram elbowed him, laughing. 

Ephram was walking solitarily down the hallway. He was on his way to History where he would sit between Jig and Desi. He used to sit in front of them both, but he and Jig switched places so he could be closer to Desi. Of course today Ephram would get to pick on Jig's new haircut. Ah, of course _Desi_ was the one who cut it… So he couldn't make fun of her for that. The _hat_! He could make fun of the hat! 

"Ephram! Ephram Brown right?" a girl asked him. Ephram turned around to find a Japanese girl jogging over to him. He nodded.

"Hi! I'm Mayumi Kasshoku," she introduced herself. It took Ephram a few moments to place it.

"Murasaki's sister!" he said and she nodded smiling. She reached in and pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it to him.

"Could you give this to your sister, for me?" she asked him. He nodded and took the folder from her hands.

"Yea, sure."

"Okay, arigatou! Sayonara! I'm late!" she said running down the hallway the way she came. Ephram was right in front of his class so he opened the folder. Inside was a picture of Delia and Murasaki sitting in kimonos on a bench in front of a pond. Ephram smiled. It was very good. The bell rang so he scooted into his classroom. 

Star walked out of her office and over to her secretary. The woman, whose nerves were slowly being accustomed to the overbearing shrink, handed Star the mail from the morning. She flipped through them, hoping she wouldn't find a piece as _interesting_ as the one from Raymond. Well, she got no mail from quitted spouses, but she did have a summons. 

"Aw damn…" she said taking it into her office. She locked her door and slumped down into her green shaggy chair. Well she wasn't the defendant, so that was good. Actually, one of her old patients in Buffalo was being accused of murder, and they needed her to say what she thought. Like they could stop her. It was this weekend, which meant she'd have to leave the boys alone. For two days. Orrie would be okay, but maybe she should take Cory with her. No, taking Cory back to Buffalo would just renew his protests, and he was just now beginning to shut up. Oh, maybe Cory should spend the weekend with Andy. Yea! There was nothing wrong with that plan!

"Here," Mack offered. Bright reached into the bag of peanut M&M's and pulled some out.

"Thanks man," Bright said and Mack nodded. The two were walking down one of Everwood's streets. They had only been cousins for two years, but the two had been somewhat friends before that. Mack placed a few M&M's in his mouth and looked across the street. He saw a boy he had never seen before walking with the mayor's daughter.

"Who's that with Quincampoix's daughter?" Mack asked motioning across the street. Bright turned and frowned. As happy as he was that Ephram and Amy were no longer a possible equation, he still didn't care much for the former New Yorker.

"Ephram Brown. His father moved them here after his wife died…" Bright told him. Mack nodded.

"Brown, right, I remember hearing that…"

"Yea, well… He's also Jig's best friend," Bright added, knowing Mack would know who Jig was. Mack frowned.

"She's a _pill_, isn't she?" Mack asked him. Bright nodded.

"With a good right hook…" Bright said rubbing his healed nose.

"What?"

"Never mind," Bright said with a sigh.

"Okay, well, anyway… I brought that poster you wanted me to bring for you."

"Oh, hey, thanks man. How long are you here for?"

"Hm, I leave next Friday."

"That's too soon," Bright said. Mack nodded in agreement. 

"Sorry coz. Think, though, a few more years and you and I can get an apartment together!" Mack told him. Bright chuckled.

"What, and leave all of _this_?" Bright asked him. Mack chuckled this time.

"Though, you know man, there are some things about Everwood you _will_ miss."

"Oh, name _one_ thing?"

"The people."

"That's the one thing I _won't_ miss…" Bright said. Mack shook his head.

"No, you see, I don't mean specific people like your mom or dad, I mean like the general attitude of the people here in town. It's very different than the people in Seattle."

"What, _duller_?"

"No, not dull, _warm_," Mack corrected him. Bright smiled a little and took a handful of M&M's. 

"I don't believe I'm doing this…" Dr. Abbott said silently to himself. He was walking through the drugstore on his way home. He placed two flashlights, several pairs of batteries, and some trail mix into the red basket slung over his arm. He rubbed his hands together and headed to the mitten aisle. The idea of purposefully getting lost, it was silly. It was _ridiculous_. But Rose liked the idea. She would, she probably saw it as the equivalent of a peaceful walk in the woods, but it _wasn't. _It was getting lost in the cold and in the dark. That will of course only lead to them fighting, which will lead to him sleeping in the guestroom. A divorce might even come from this. If it did, Dr. Abbott was going to sue Star. He searched the contents of his basket and realized there was one thing he should probably get. He stopped a woman as she walked past him. The red vest and nametag she wore designated her as an employee. 

"Where can I find the flare guns?" he asked her. She gave him a questioning glance, but, knowing Dr. Abbott, decided not to voice the questions.

"Aisle three," she told him. He nodded and walked off. He should probably get more than one, three maybe, possibly floor. It depends on how much they cost. He should probably buy some extra warm socks as well. His hiking boots were good even though they had been dormant for some time. His coat was warm. But his socks… he could use a new pair of warm socks. Maybe two. He may be forced to do something stupid, but he wasn't going to go into it stupidly. Friday was going to be a horrible night.

"What! No! Star! NO! Why? We don't have room for him. No! Yes! Star, listen, why can't he and Orrie just stay home together? Star! I have it hard enough time keeping _my_ son alive and you want me to-!" Dr. Brown yelled into his office phone. Dr. Brown had enough trouble keeping his only semi-delinquent son out of trouble, but Star's son was a complete delinquent! There was no way he could handle Cory for an _hour_ let alone a _weekend_! Star was crazier then the person she had to go speak for in Buffalo. Not that idea of Star being completely nuts was new to Dr. Brown. It was a fact he knew better than most. Oh wait a minute. Wait just a minute now… If Dr. Brown could handle Cory for a weekend as well as Ephram and Delia, maybe, just maybe, Star would realize Dr. Brown _could_ handle being a single father, and _leave!_ That if _anything_ would get her to leave! And it'd be easy too! All Dr. Brown had to do was explain to Cory that Buffalo was at stake here. If Cory was good, he might be able to get home! That seemed to be his goal more than anybody else's! 

"Star, hey, Star! Listen for a moment. I'll do it! Tell Cory to pack enough things for a weekend. We do have a spare room for him. Okay? Yes, fine, good bye," Dr. Brown said hanging up the phone. He let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. This _was_ going to work.


	40. not combined, though, obviously

Jig was standing in the kitchen making herself a sandwich. Ein had been sitting on the counter next to her, awaiting the crusts to be thrown in his direction as they so commonly were. But, at that moment something took over him and Ein leapt to the ground and strolled casually out of the room. The raccoon usually did nothing out of habit, so Jig thought nothing of its absence until she heard a yell coming from within the house. She grabbed her sandwich and followed the sound. She walked down the hallway her room was on. Soon Ein who was trotting rather swiftly in the direction Jig had just come passed her. A frown lowered the tips of her mouth as she walked into the only opened door. It was a bathroom door and inside Mack was standing in front of the mirror. He wore nothing but a towel and shaving cream on half of his face. The razor he held in his left hand and the right hand was pressed firmly to his cheek. Jig let out a small laugh and Mack turned to her angrily.

"That _thing_ almost made be cut my _throat_!" Mack yelled at her. Jig laughed a little more.

"I guess he'll have to try harder next time," she said and left him. She walked back up the hallway to find Ein sitting upright at the end of it. As Jig passed him she dropped her bread crusts. 

"A novel? You want to write a novel?" Ephram asked. Ephram was seated on his bed, and Desi was sitting on a chair in front of him. She nodded, a smile lifting the sides of her mouth.

"Yea, I just need a plot and characters!" Desi said. Ephram laughed.

"That _would_ be helpful!" Ephram told her. Desi smirked and pushed him with her foot slightly.

"Come on, I need help here. I'm thinking of having my MC a girl and…"

"MC?"

"Main character. Geez, learn the lingo Ephram," she said smiling. He shook his head.

"Okay, go on…"

"Okay, well I was thinking I might write it in first person. I usually write in third person, so this would be fun!"

"Yea. You could try writing it in the stream of consciousness," Ephram suggested. Desi tilted her head slightly.

"The what?"

"The stream of consciousness… Uh, here…" Ephram said standing up and walking over to his bookcase. He picked up two books and handed them to her. Desi looked at the first.

"Finnegans Wake?" she asked looking up at him. Ephram nodded.

"Yea, Joyce. Not an easy read but the other book should help," he told her. Desi now looked at the second book.

"Dictionary of Irish Slang?" she asked giving him another confused look.

"You'll _need_ it, _believe_ me," Ephram told her. Desi nodded.

"So, what should my genre be?"

"You mean like high school, sci-fi, fantasy…"

"Yea, stuff like that."

"I don't know. Try melding some."

"What, like a high school girl with a space ship and an elf for a best friend?" Desi asked him smiling. Ephram smiled back. Then a memory came to him and he walked back over to the bed and sat down.

"When I couldn't sleep my mom would tell me these stories of this little boy who had a bed that could take him anywhere in the world. It could take him to other worlds too. One world was this giant toy factory, and there the little boy befriended this robotic teddy bear and saved him from the factory. Every night the two would take new adventures," Ephram said with a smile, remembering the sound of his mother's voice. Desi smiled too and leaned forward. She held his chin in her hand and kissed him. His door opened and Delia walked in. 

Obviously Delia was surprised but neither Ephram nor Desi cared. Ephram just waved for Delia to leave, his face still attached to Desi's.

"Ephram…" Delia whined, getting over her shock. He just waved at her more violently. Delia sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Cory's spending the weekend with us," Delia said. Ephram's head snapped to look at Delia. His head moved so fast Desi let out a small cry of pain and held her fingertips to her lower lip. Ephram looked back at Desi briefly.

"Oh, sorry…"

"It's okay…" she murmured. Ephram's head snapped back to Delia.

"He's _what_?" he said getting off of his bed and walking over to his little sister.

"Star's going away for the weekend and she doesn't trust Cory to behave unsupervised…"

"You can't blame her for that…but… Dad agreed to this?" Ephram asked, half suspecting that Dr. Brown never had a choice in the matter, which he never really did. Delia nodded anyway.

"Yea. His plan is that if Star sees how well Dad can handle Cory and you and I, maybe she'll realize he doesn't need her help, and go back to Buffalo!" Delia said, excited by the idea. Delia loved her aunt, but, in small doses. Ephram looked horrified.

"What! They can't leave!" Ephram yelled. Delia looked at him surprised. Anyone debating Star Cather's leaving deserved a look of surprise. Ephram understood that and explained.

"If they leave, _Orrie_ will leave, and where would Jig be?" Ephram asked her. Delia was still confused.

"Where she was before, with you," Delia told him. Ephram fell silent, staring at her. Even Desi was staring at her. Uncomfortable Delia spoke again.

"Anyway, Dad told me to tell you. I have to go make the bed in the guestroom…" she said and left, closing the door behind her.

Orrie walked out of his darkroom with a test strip laying in the tray he carried. He walked around the corner and was preparing himself for the bright light but instead he jumped upon finding his mother's towering silhouette. 

"We need to talk," she told him and walked out of the light's path. Worriedly Orrie sighed, took a quick look at his test strip (needed a new filter), hung it up, and joined his mother.

Everyone who currently lived at the Harper house was out with the exception of Irv and the raccoon. Irv walked around the silent hallways of the house he had grown up in, the house he had raised his family in, the house he had a _new_ family in. Having Mack in the house reminded Irv of Lily. Mack looked so much like his mother. The same smile, the same glint in the eyes. Irv and Edna loved each other partially because they both knew the pain of losing a spouse. Edna lost Hal, and Irv lost Maggie. They helped each other get through it. But there was something Irv had lost that Edna probably never would. Irv lost his daughter. His only child. His Lily. Irv had to see the look on his wife's face when she found out her child was dead. Irv loved Mack, Irv raised him. He raised him alone for the most part. At his age, he shouldn't have to be a single parent.

Irv turned around to find Ein following him. Irv smile and walked over to the raccoon. He picked the creature up and placed it on his shoulder. Ein held a firm grip to the cloth of Irv's shirt but not firm enough to hurt him. Irv walked them into the kitchen and cut an apple into slices. He gave one slice to Ein and placed the rest on a plate for later. Irv was actually a dog guy, but having a raccoon as a pet was interesting. Ein was like a cat and a dog, yet he still had this quirky sense of everything that probably came with being a raccoon. Irv was glad they had adopted Ein. He was glad Ein had adopted them, actually. 

"I don't believe I'm doing this…" Amy said as the music began. She placed her hand on Jig's shoulder and placed her other hand in Jig's. They were in a large room surrounded by other couples in the same position, many girl-girl. The music started.

"_You_? I only volunteered to help paint the sets!" Jig told her. Amy grinned. Amy had heard they needed dancers for the senior play so she offered her services. Only it was waltzing, and Amy couldn't waltz. But, there weren't many people at school who could, so Ms. Baxworth was holding a grand scale waltzing lesson. Jig had been drafted from the scenery department. She couldn't waltz either.

"Amy! Jig! What beat are you on?" Ms. Baxworth yelled at them. They both stopped and looked at her. Some of the other kids laughed.

"Um, five?" Jig asked her. Ms. Baxworth frowned and some of the kids laughed again.

"You really don't dance much, do you?" Amy asked her. Jig shook her head.

"Well if either of you were paying attention, you'd know you were on the _wrong_ beat! Now, if you please! You're grown ups now, people care if you fail."

"Sorry Ms. Baxworth…"

"Yea, sorry."

"Alright then. Doris hit play please!" Ms. Baxworth said and the music started again. Amy and Jig made sure they were dancing in beat before they started talking again.

"Why isn't Desi here? She can dance…" Jig asked.

"She's reviewing the play," Amy told her. Jig bit her lip.

"Oh yea. I wish _I_ wrote for the newspaper…"

"Jig you're failing English…"

"Only by comparison."

"Yea, by comparison to the rest of the class!" Amy said and they both laughed slightly. 

"Not everyone can be perfect like you Grover," Jig told her. Amy's smile faded softly, as so did Jig's.

"How's Colin doing anyway?" Jig asked her. Amy reinforced her smile.

"He's no worse, so that's good," Amy said. Jig smiled supportively. 

"You don't mind that we kind of, stole Ephram from you, do you?" Jig asked her. Amy laughed slightly. 

"No. He's happy, right?" Amy asked her. Jig nodded so Amy smiled.

"Well he deserves it. I don't think I made him very happy."

"You did when you smiled at him," Jig told her. Amy looked down at the floor.

"Well Desi has just been beaming around school. I don't think anyone's ever seen her this happy," Amy told her. 

"You'll be happy like that again."

"I hope it's soon."

"It will be. Hey Amy…"

"Yea?"

"You're taller than me, so why am _I _leading?" Jig asked her. Amy then realized that Jig was a few inches shorter than she was. 

"Must be the hair."


	41. okay, i'm just being mean here

Another author's note thingy: No swearing in this one, but I just thought I should tell you guys that I'm going to let the actual show writers write what happens with Colin. I just know if I wrote one thing, the next week's episode would have the complete opposite happen, and then where would I be? So, if the whole Colin story takes a side step, that's why. Okay, enjoy! There are a few cute scenes in this one. (aren't there always?)

~Lady Jenna ^_-

"Okay, there is to be no drinking, sneaking out, tattooing, piercing, setting things of fire, swearing, drugs, and, you smoke?" Dr. Brown asked Cory as Cory placed a newly lit cigarette into his mouth. The two were standing out in front of the Brown's house. Cory had a duffel bag at his feet. Dr. Brown ripped the cigarette from his nephew's lips and threw it into the snow. Cory frowned.

"I _try_ to," Cory said. Dr. Brown took pack from Cory's hands.

"These are _bad_ for you! I have _charts_, would you like to see them?" Dr. Brown asked him. Cory sighed.

"_You_ smoked."

"And I _quit_."

"And things just got better after that, _didn't they_?" Cory asked him. Dr. Brown fell silent and glared at the boy. Cory didn't look him in the eyes, in fear the widowed man might give him such a stare that Cory would apologize.

"Buffalo…" Dr. Brown reminded him. Cory sighed and nodded. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a lighter. He handed it to Dr. Brown, picked up his duffel bag, and walked over to the house. Dr. Brown looked down at the lighter. It was adorned with a picture of Homer Simpson. Dr. Brown sighed, placed the lighter safely into his pocket, and followed the boy into the house. 

Delia had led Cory up the stairs and into his room. He peeked through the doorframe before actually entering the room. It was monochromatic, bare, and half the size of his room on the other side of town. Cory frowned but walked inside of the room. Delia left him there but Cory didn't notice or care. An entire weekend here. Cory would be happier on the streets, even if it was snowing. But, Cory's uncle had a point, if this went well, Cory's mom might see Dr. Brown was okay here by himself, and they could all go back to Buffalo where they belonged. Cory kind of was the ultimate test of parenting. Ephram was a pansy compared to him. Of course, though, Dr. Brown would know he didn't actually pass the test. He cheated. He had Cory on his side. But, his uncle could worry about that later, after he was done celebrating their leaving.

Mack walked into the living room casually taking a bite from the carrot he held in his hand. Edna and Irv were busy at Monopoly again. Mack walked over and sat in a chair and watched them. Ein jumped up onto the armrest and sat there. He was staring at Mack, knowing ever since the shaving incident, Mack was a bit unnerved by the small creature's presence. In hopes of appeasing the creature, Mack forfeited the carrot. Ein took it and jumped off of the armrest and trotted off. Mack sighed in relief and turned to his grandfather and step-grandmother.

"You know people usually go _out_ on Friday nights…" Mack pointed out, in case the two had forgotten.

"Not when they have a kid to take care of," Edna responded.

"I can take care of myself," Mack told her. Edna turned her head to look at him.

"I meant _Jig_…" Edna told him. Mack paused.

"I knew that. So, do you really trust her with that guy?" Mack asked, looking backward at Jig's closed door. 

"Who, Orrie? He's a nice guy, despite everything…" Edna told him. Mack turned back around to face them, an eyebrow raised. 

"Despite what?" he asked curiously. Irv answered him this time, it being Edna's move.

"Have you heard about Dr. Star Cather?" Irv asked him. Mack nodded.

"Yea, a fruit who tries to cure fruits…"

"Yes, well, she's Orrie's mother," Irv told him. Mack's mouth dropped open.

"Jig's dating a nut?"

"They're not dating," Edna said. Irv looked up at her, but ultimately decided to let it slide.

"He's also Dr. Brown's nephew," Irv added. Mack sighed and leaned back in the chair.

"Jesus, they're moving in as families now… What else have I missed?"

"Colin Hart was in a coma," Edna told him. Mack nodded.

"Yea, Bright told me. I'm going to swing by and see him on my way outta here."

"He might not recognize you, Mack, he's a little out of it…" Irv told him. Mack nodded.

"Yea, Bright told me that too. Hey, someone will call me when he's fully recovered right? I'd like to see him."

"Consider it done," Irv reassured him. Mack nodded, smiling. 

"Good. He's a nice guy. It wouldn't be right if something irreversibly bad happened to him."

"Some times bad things just happen to good people, kid," Edna told him. Mack turned his eyes away from her and looked at the ground. It was hard to find a person who knew that better than Mack.

Mack stood up and walked over to the hallway leading to his room. As he passed Jig's room he noticed her door had opened slightly. The space between the door and the doorframe seemed just large enough to fit a raccoon through it. Curious and hidden by the darkness of the hallway Mack looked inside of the room. Jig and Orrie were standing and searching over Jig's great wall of pictures. Mack didn't like Jig. But he knew her. They were the same, him and her. They had both lived through the same things. She never met her father, neither did he. Her mother was dead, so was his. She was being raised (at least in part) by Irv, and so had he. It hadn't been hard for Mack to find out about Jig's parents. She frequently talked in her sleep, she told him everything. Not that she knew it. 

There was something about her he admired, though, among the things he hated. She had been old enough, situated enough, to realize exactly what had happened in her life. Mack was two. All he figured was his mother was on vacation leaving him with his grandparents. He had been positive she would return someday. He even made things for her, for when she came to pick him up. Then years went by, Mack grew up, and finally he understood. But Jig always knew. When she was told her mother had been killed, she knew enough about all of the hate and stupidity that led to it. Yet, some how, she smiled everyday. She got up, dressed, laughed, and went on like no such horrible things existed. At night, though, _at night_, she would scream. She would yell and cry, no doubt reliving the night over in her mind. No doubt imagining her mother's last moments. Mack's mother died in her sleep. No horrible thing, nothing to keep him awake at night, just cancer. His mom was sick. Death came as a great relief to her, it was her time. Jig's mom was taken. Mack's left. 

"So who are we looking for?" Orrie asked as he and Jig searched her wall. She had been in Everwood only about two months or so now, and the wall was almost filled. She needed maybe five more pictures to fill it. A wall made entirely out of smiling men. It was weird, but not totally unbelievable. 

"Isaac. He's up here a few times. I want to tell you about him," Jig told Orrie. Orrie smiled and shook his head.

"I already know," he confessed. She turned to him sharply.

"What!" she demanded.

"When you first told me about him I was a little, _curious_. So I did a cross check on 'Juliet Green' and 'Isaac' online," he explained. Jig was staring at him in awe. Not anger, simply awe. He was expecting to get hit, considering he had gone behind her back like that. But in all fairness, he hadn't kissed her then. Jig sighed and turned back to the wall, some how immediately finding a picture of Isaac.

"So, what do you think?"

"Isaac De La Vega, Jig. _Wow_…" he said, still looking over the wall. He found a picture of himself. Jig chuckled slightly.

"For the record, he was just Isaac _Graham_ growing up. He changed to Isaac De La Vega when, well, _you know_," Jig said with a smile. Orrie nodded.

"But still, that has to be neat…" Orrie said. Jig scoffed.

"What? Neat? Having a friend you never see? Getting letters and gifts, but never seeing his face? He only calls me in the middle of the night, because he's in London or somewhere and keeps forgetting about the time change!" Jig complained and Orrie laughed. 

"You miss him, that's cute…"

"I miss who he was. I miss being his equal…" Jig corrected him with a solemn look on her face. Orrie frowned slightly. 

"You're still his equal, Jig. He's still the same, I'm sure."

"It's hard to be the same when the entire world thinks you've changed," she said and they both fell silent. 

"The world doesn't know who he was, they can't judge. You can…"

"No I can't. I haven't even seen him since the fu-" Jig said but cut herself short. Orrie didn't press. Quickly he remembered something and walked over to his bag. He pulled out a five by seven photograph and taped it to one of the few open spaces. Curious Jig walked over and looked at it. The picture was of Ein, only he had a Cheshire Cat grin cut out and placed on his snout. Jig laughed and hugged Orrie's arm. 

"I thought you would like that," he told her. She hugged his arm tighter.

"I do. But we better move it up so he can't see it," Jig said moving it. The two of them gave a look over their shoulders to see Ein laying on his back on Jig's bed, asleep.

Ephram and Desi were walking down one of Everwood's streets. It was one of the streets closest to Ephram's house, because, despite living there for now four months, Ephram still got very lost at times. Desi had lived in Everwood all of her life but rarely walked its streets. She had actually lived much of her life in that huge mansion. It was certainly large enough to live in forever and never be bored. When she went out she was chauffeured. So now Ephram actually had a better idea of where they were then Desi did. Actually they were walking pretty near the town limits, close to the woods' edge. Every sidewalk had been shoveled clean of snow and ice so there was no worry of slipping, and a soft, gentle snow was falling. Winter break would begin next Friday, Christmas not falling far behind it. Desi said it was always white for Christmas, and Ephram believed her. It was quiet for them, no loud cars honking, no sirens, they barely even said two words to each other. They just stole glances at the other when they didn't notice. But, suddenly, there was a loud burst of noise and a red flare flew up from the tall trees far in front of them. Worried they both took off into a careful run to the forest's edge. It was soon when they heard two people arguing, a man and a woman. After a few moments the two stepped out into the light of the lamppost. Harold and Rose Abbott let out sighs of relief and joy upon once again encountering civilization. They both looked tired and worn, with sweat holding a few strands of hair to their foreheads. Ephram and Desi watched unseen in surprised wonder. The married couple sat in a snow bank in exhaustion. 

"Are you okay?" Desi asked worriedly walking over to them. The two jumped upon seeing her, and Dr. Abbott cringed slightly seeing her companion. 

"We're fine, aren't we Rose?" Dr. Abbott standing up and straightening to his full height. The only thing to make this evening worse than it was, was for Dr. Andrew Brown to hear about it. Which, his son being there, was more than certain. 

"Oh _shut up_ Harold!" Rose yelled at him, too tired to put up with his inflamed ego. Dr. Abbott frowned and strained himself not to turn to look at his wife. Desi walked over to Rose and offered her a hand up.

"Oh, no, no. But, do either of you have a cell phone I can use?" Rose asked them. Ephram offered her the one he had brought, in case they got lost and needed directions. Rose thanked him and dialed a number. She held it to her ear.

"Hi, Bright? It's Mom. Can you come pick us up, your father got us lost," Rose explained to her son.

"I did no suc-!" Dr. Abbott started but his wife waved it off, signaling she was too tired to fight about it now.

"Where are we? Well we're on, uh…" Rose started.

"Berry Street," Desi told her.

"Oh, thank you dear. We're at the end of Berry Street. Okay, how long? Five minutes, we'll be sitting here. Okay. Good bye dear, and be careful," Rose said hanging up and giving Ephram the phone back.

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Desi asked Rose who shook her head. Dr. Abbott walked slowly over to Ephram and led him away from Desi and Rose.

"This whole thing, about us getting lost. I would appreciate it if you didn't tell your father, okay?" Dr. Abbott asked him, actually forcing a smile. Ephram looked at him a little confused for awhile.

"Yea, okay, sure…" he said. Dr. Abbott nodded his head.

"Good boy," he said patting Ephram's shoulder. Slowly Desi and Dr. Abbott changed places, Desi joining Ephram and Dr. Abbott joining his wife. Ephram and Desi watched the married couple for a few moments before starting back the way they had come. Neither of them ever laughed at the two, but it was impossible for them to suppress grins.


	42. the baby is mine!

"Okay, so what if I wrote about a female thief? I read that book you gave me and I think it'd be fun to write like that! Now I don't want her to be American, and I don't want her to be White so-"

"Wait, wait…" Ephram said raising his hand to cut Desi off. The two were sitting in Ephram's bedroom.

"What?" Desi asked him surprised she had been stopped.

"You've _finished_ it already? I gave it to you, like, three _days_ ago!" Ephram asked her, completely in shock. Desi smiled and nodded.

"Yea, I'm a quick reader," she told him. Ephram sighed in complete disbelief and sat back in his chair.

"It took me three _months_ to read it!"

"Yea, well, anyway. I was thinking of naming her Kamala. It's pretty isn't it? It means 'lotus blossom,' which I _think_ is the symbol of the Buddha of compassion. That really has nothing to do with the character's personality, though, really," Desi explained. Ephram smiled.

"You're really into this, aren't you?" Ephram asked her. Desi nodded, a wide smile taking over her lips.

"Yea. Now, I need to create the main guy though…" Desi said, her eyes lighting up at the idea of creating a new character. 

"Can he be White?" Ephram asked her. Desi nodded. She jumped a little as an idea struck her.

"He can be French! Oh, the accent! I've lived with my father long enough to write a French accent. Plus I know French so he actually could speak it. His name can be Nino! That's my grandfather's name. He'll be a thief too, a rival thief. Maybe, Kamala gets framed for something and has the police on her tail causing problems for all thieves. So Kamala and Nino have to team up and get them! Oh I like this!" Desi said and started giggling to herself. Ephram laughed.

"How much of this have you written down?" Ephram asked her.

"None, actually… but, I will, soon. Now, what is that noise?" Desi asked him turning to look at one of the walls. Blaring from the other side of it was some music too loud and too muffled to be distinguished. Ephram frowned.

"_That_, is Cory's _rage_…" Ephram explained. 

"Oh yea…" Desi said nodding her head, "I forgot he was staying with you this weekend. How's that going?"

"He hasn't come out…" Ephram told her. Desi raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean he hasn't-"

"I mean he went into that room yesterday afternoon and has yet to emerge. He's probably figuring that will keep him out of trouble…" Ephram told her. Desi nodded.

"Doesn't sound that bad," Desi said. Ephram leaned closer to her.

"I don't _want_ them to leave!" Ephram confessed. Desi nodded and bit her lower lip. She remembered that. Ephram was willing to put up with Star and Cory because it would make Jig happy. If Orrie left it would put Jig and Amy in the same place. With an inaccessible boyfriend, and without Ephram to talk to. Because Desi had Ephram. 

"I don't want them to leave either," Desi told him with a reassuring smile, "because I don't want to lose _you_."

Ephram was a little confused, in his mind not making all of the connections Desi had made, but he smiled in return anyway. 

It was Nina's day to clean up the diner. Everyone had gone home, she had already swept the floors, and cleaned the counter. Now she was back sweeping up the kitchen area. The cooks always cleaned the stove and other cooking things; they had a special way of doing it that they didn't trust anyone else to do. Nina was kind of thankful for that, actually. Less work and less time for her to do. She heard the bells the signified the front door opening chime twice in quick succession. Someone probably had come in, seen the place closed, and left. But Nina went to investigate. Sitting on the newly cleaned counter, was a baby carrier. Nina raised an eyebrow and walked around to get a look at it. Sitting silently in the baby carrier, was, not completely unexpected, a baby. Tied to the carrier handle with a pink ribbon, was a note that read:

"For Nina."

Nina took a step back from the carrier and over to the door. She opened it and took a few steps outside, looking for the runaway messenger. She found no one, and the sidewalks had been cleared so there were no footprints. Nina walked back into the diner and over to the baby. The small, abandoned child was asleep. Nina's first thoughts were of Sara. But this baby looked at least four months old; twice as old as the baby Nina had given birth to. Nina walked over to the phone and called her babysitter. She told the girl she'd be later than expected. Then she called the police.

"Well, she's seems to be in perfect shape. No cuts or signs of abuse. She seems well fed and happy. Good reflexes, good eyes. Ears, nose, and throat look fine. Plus, Nina, she's cute as _Hell_," Dr. Brown said leaning away from the now awake baby in the carrier. Nina nodded in agreement, but her face still showed concern exclusively. The sheriff walked over to her, a pad and pencil in her hands.

"Okay Nina, did you get a good look at the person who dropped the kid off?" the large woman asked her. Nina shook her head.

"Like I said before, Bertha, I didn't seem them at all. I heard someone coming in and going out, then I came out here, and there was the baby," Nina said. The sheriff nodded. 

"Any ideas who the baby could belong to?" Bertha asked. Nina shook her head.

"No idea."

"How about you Dr. Brown?" Bertha asked, turning to him. Dr. Brown shook his head as well.

"All of my pregnant patients are still pregnant. But you should check with Dr. Abbott," he suggested. The sheriff nodded.

"Well, I guess she's spending the night down at the station," she said reaching form the carrier's handle. Nina stopped her.

"No, wait, that's no place for a baby, I'll take her home with me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea, it'll be fine. I still have all of Sam's baby stuff."

"Well, okay then. But if you have any problems…"

"I'll call, don't worry," Nina reassured her with a smile. Bertha nodded.

"Okay then. We'll call you if we find something," the sheriff said and walked off. Nina turned back to the baby who was giving her a toothless grin. 

"Come on, I'll give you gals a ride home," Dr. Brown offered. Nina thanked him, picked up the baby carrier, and followed Dr. Brown out of the diner.

Sunday successfully rolled around and Star returned home. She had actually been home for several hours before Orrie ended up calling the Brown's house to tell them Cory could come home, unless, of course, they liked him so much and wanted to keep him. Cory was back in the walls of his own house within ten minutes. Star's ex-patient had been found guilty, which hadn't surprised her. The man had been convinced he was Lizzie Borden in a past life. Star was pleased (as well as surprised), however, to find her youngest son not only in one shape, but without the strong bitterness she had expected from spending an entire weekend with a different set of rules. He seemed; actually, as good as she had left him. That was unexpected. Star thought there was no way her baby brother could handle the unruly child, but he seems to have, and did it well. Extraordinary, utterly extraordinary.

Things were once again quiet in the Brown household, now that the incredibly angered teen had left. Even Ephram's music played quieter than it had before. Actually, with Cory now out of his care, Dr. Brown was frequently heard thanking his son for not being that bad. Ephram only grinned, nodded, and replied with a 'you're welcome' every time. The Feeny house, however, was even quieter. The baby still lived there with no signs of ever leaving. She laughed and smiled and made normal baby sounds, but she never seemed sad or uncomfortable. She never cried. Sam would ask his mother if he had been as rare to cry as a baby, Nina would start to laugh, pat his head, and bring the baby her bottle. The police had no luck in finding any parent for the child. No fingerprints on the carrier, no fingerprint matches from the baby, no bits of anything on the clothes or blankets to find out who the child was or whom she belonged to. They even checked the handwriting on the note with a bunch of checks from the local bank. The baby was simply alone. After a few days an important question arose. The baby had been given specifically to Nina. Should she keep it?

The next time Carl Feeny called, Nina talked it over with him. The baby was good, she explained. She was healthy, and happy, and quiet. Sam liked her and she liked Sam. But, more importantly, Nina liked her, and she liked Nina. Plus, with a doctor living next door, raising a baby, with all of her little colds and other problems, would be easier. Carl Feeny, strongly sensing his wife's masked want of the child, accepted her proposal. Nina signed the adoption papers, which could only be made completely truly official as soon as her husband returned home to make his own mark. Convincing her husband into letting them keep the child had not been the hard part. The hard part was, what to name her. Since Sam was named after Nina's father, they named the baby girl after Carl's mother. And so, Meredith Feeny was born into the world. Nina got another baby shower out of it, actually. None of the former participants had bothered to return the items they had bought and kept them, after Nina refused them. So, she and Meredith received them all again. 

It was then commonly said that this baby was given to Nina because she had given up the one she had brought to term herself. It was like a trade off. Rose Abbott even sent over her traditional snack for the new mother. The entire town took in Meredith as if she hadn't been abandoned. It had only been a matter of days after the adoption, and it was like Meredith had always been. Even Dr. Brown every now and then felt like Meredith was the baby he delivered. It would have been astonishing to any outsider looking in how quickly the baby girl was accepted, but for anyone who had grown up in Everwood, it came as no surprise.


	43. i love this kind of chapter

School finally ended for the season that Friday and it was time to say goodbye to Mack. The entire Harper household was waiting at the street as Irv and Mack loaded his stuff in his car. Actually, one part of the Harper household was missing, Ein. He was watching from one of the windows, making sure Mack was really leaving. Ephram, Orrie, Bright, and Amy joined them on the lawn. Once all of Mack's things were in his car he hugged his grandfather and step-grandmother goodbye. Then he hugged Amy and did that manly, one arm slap on the back type hug with Bright. When Mack came to Jig, however, there was no hug, and surprisingly, no bloodshed. Mack just leaned forward, kissed her forehead, and shook her hand. Mack got into his car, waved good bye, and drove off. Once he was out of sight Edna, Irv, and Jig walked back into their house. Bright and Amy got into their car and drove back to their house. This left Ephram and Orrie alone on the lawn. Orrie still had the soft smile he always seemed to be wearing, while Ephram was shocked and upset. Mack _kissed_ her! In front of her _boyfriend_! Ephram turned to Orrie.

"Aren't you _upset_?" Ephram asked him. Orrie smiled and shook his head.

"Jig and I aren't like that…" Orrie explained as the two started walking down the sidewalk.

"Like what?" 

"Like you and Desi," Orrie told him. He saw that obviously Ephram didn't understand. Orrie sighed and explained.

"Have you ever had that feeling Ephram? You could be walking down the hall, or sitting out the couch, or even doing your homework. And you just get this feeling like you want to be held. Like you want someone to wrap their arms around you and never let go?" Orrie asked him. Ephram thought for a few moments before nodding. 

"Well, that's what Jig and I have. We're there to hold each other when we feel like we need it," Orrie explained.

"But, don't you guys, love each other?" Ephram asked him. Orrie shrugged. 

"Maybe, on some level, but it's not like you and Desi. We're not picking out china patterns," Orrie said laughing. Ephram laughed a little too.

"Well, we haven't exactly gotten to _that_ stage yet," Ephram said. 

"'Yet!'" Orrie said and they both laughed.

Delia was over at Nina's house. Her and Nina were in the kitchen, Nina preparing some warm food for Meredith, who was laying in her carrier on the table. Delia was waving her finger in front of the baby as Meredith laughed, trying to grab it. Delia was watching Nina happily prepare the baby's food. People had thought about how strong Nina had been, giving away the baby she carried to another woman to raise. No one knew how truly hard that had been for her. She thought it would be easy, but it wasn't. That's why she wanted to keep Meredith so much. Carrying that baby for so long made her want one. She wanted to be a mother again. She wanted a baby. And she got one. Now, Nina really didn't care who gave her the baby, it had only been a week, but Nina loved her. She was sure Carl would too. Everyone loved Meredith and she seemed to love everyone. Sam loved her, it was great. It was like the perfect family. Two point five kids. All they needed was Carl home and it'd be perfect. And, maybe with the new baby, he would push a little harder to get home. 

Orrie stood on Jig's front porch and rang the doorbell. He took a deep breath and let it out. This wasn't going to be easy. After a few moments Jig opened the door and smiled, seeing him.

"Hey Orrie," she said. He nodded and took a step backward, inviting her outside. She bit the inside of her lip, grabbed a shawl hanging by the door, and stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. Orrie inhaled again and slowly exhaled. He cracked his fingers and placed his hands safely inside his coat pockets.

"My dad, um, my dad's moving to Australia, for, for three months. And he wants, you know, because I don't get to see him too often and don't really know him, he wants me, to, to _go with him_. He's coming here Sunday, to get my answer…" Orrie confessed. Jig stared at him for a few moments, silent. He searched her face for any sign of when her silence would end. For any sign of how she was going to react. He found nothing.

"Go," she finally said. Orrie's eyes widened in surprise and his mouth opened slightly. 

"What?" Orrie asked her. Jig held the shawl tighter around her shoulder and blinked her eyes quickly.

"Go, you have to go. He's your father. You need to know him. Go. You have to. Pack tonight. _Go_," she told him. Orrie stood there for a few moments. Then he nodded. Jig nodded too, opened the door, and walked back inside, out of the cold. 

Orrie stood on the front porch of the Brown's house. He rang the doorbell and after a few moments Ephram opened. Ephram raised his eyebrows in surprise. Orrie had been looking at the ground but now he looked up. 

"I'm leaving Everwood Sunday," Orrie told him. Ephram reacted much the same way Jig did, with a long, unreadable stare. Finally he nodded.

"Does Jig know?" Ephram asked him. Orrie nodded.

"I just told her," Orrie answered. Ephram stood still for a moment before grabbing his jacket.

"Dad I'm leaving I'll be back later!" Ephram yelled and went running past Orrie and down the front steps.

"Ephram?" Dr. Brown asked coming to the door. He saw his son running down the street and Orrie standing silent on the porch.

Ephram raced down the street and jumped up the porch steps three at a time. The door was open so he walked in. Edna and Irv were at the far side of the large room, knocking on Jig's door and calling to her. Irv turned at the sound of the door opening and smiled when he saw Ephram.

"Ephram! Get over here!" he yelled. Ephram ran over quickly, not even taking off his coat.

"She won't let us in and won't come out," Edna told him. He nodded, probably the only one of the three who would understand why. Irv and Edna stepped away from him as Ephram knocked on the door.

"Jig! It's me Ephram!" he yelled into it.

"Ephram?" he heard a meek, soft voice say from the other side. It was a voice ridden with weeping. The door opened and Jig appeared, her face bright red. Ephram walked into the room, kicked the door shut, and wrapped his arms around her. As soon as her face hit his shoulder she started crying again. She wrapped her arms around his stomach, putting her hands under his coat. He held her head to his shoulder and rested his cheek on the back of her head, letting her cry. He had seen her cry more violently than this. He had seen her cry so hard it frightened him. Now he wasn't scared, because now he understood, but it still tore at him. After a few minutes of him telling her how everything would be alright her knees buckled out from under her and she fell. She dragged Ephram down with her but he kept his balance enough to keep them both from lying on the floor.

"Jig, Jig come on, it's okay, it's okay," he told her. She removed her hands from around his stomach and just hung onto the front of his shirt and leaned on him, mostly sitting on the ground now anyway.

Jig was sick of it. She was sick of losing people. She was sick of the 'I'm sorry''s and the 'it'll be okay''s. She didn't want people to be sorry, and she didn't want 'it will be okay', she wanted it okay _now_. She was losing too many people. She had lost too much in her life. Family who never wanted her, parents that were both dead, friends who were never around, and a first boyfriend who left her. But she told him to go. It was his _father_. If the chance had come to her, she would have left without saying good bye. She never would have turned back. Orrie had to go. He had to learn what kind of man his father is. He had to learn his sense of humor, his likes, his dislikes. Orrie had to memorize his father's smile and his laugh. Orrie had to look into his father's eyes and see everything there was in him. He had to do everything Jig never got a chance to do

"Jig, come on. Please?" Ephram asked. Jig tightened her grip on his now damp shirt. She once told him, how lucky Amy was to have him. Now Amy didn't have him anymore, Desi did. And Desi probably knew how lucky she was. Jig loved her cousin, but Amy was a step or two behind Desi. So was Jig. Jig seemed to be behind everything now. Everything was passing her by. At least that's what it felt like. Jig reached her arms around Ephram's neck and pulled him close her to.

"Thank you," she said into his ear. She didn't know it, but Ephram smiled and held her tighter.

"Thanks for letting me…" he replied. 

There were few people in this world who would let Ephram help them. And, vice versa, actually. But Jig seemed never to be without need of his help. Most people cry on their pillows, Jig cried on Ephram. This was the fourth time, actually. This was actually the only one he would be allowed to talk about. One was about her mom, he couldn't say that. Another was when she was beating Cory up, which he couldn't mention. And the other was, well, in the shower. _That_ one would get them both in trouble with a number of people. But Orrie everyone would know about.

"I told him to go," Jig confessed, at last letting Ephram go and sitting on the floor. Ephram, surprised, sat on the floor in front of her.

"Why?" he asked. Jig sniffled.

"His father wants them to get to know each other, in Australia. I told him to go and never look back," she said. Ephram sat quietly. So it was just Orrie leaving? And his father. No wonder Jig told him to go. Jig seemed set on every person in the world knowing their father, learning everything about him. A dad was important to Jig. It was some odd obsession. The dog tags, the pictures, everything. It spelled out 'Dad.' Now that she had seen his _grave_, that didn't help. Jig told Orrie to leave. That had to be hard. And Orrie agreed, that had to be worse. But, they would both survive. They'd each find someone else to hold them. 

"How'd you know to come here, Ephram?" Jig asked him.

"I heard you crying," he replied, figuring mentioning Orrie's name might not be the best thing to mention at this point. She laughed.

"What, do you have a microphone in here somewhere?" she asked, laughing slightly. He smiled.

"No. It's more like those mothers who can hear their kids crying from half way across town," he said and she laughed. 

"Well thanks for coming _Mom_," she said leaning forward, kissing him on the cheek, and hugging him with one arm around the neck.

"No problem. But next time, clean your room. It's a mess in here!" he said and she pushed him to the ground, laughing.


	44. i wish i knew the rules of scrabble

"Okay, so Kamala has been framed by Five, which is like the English FBI. Anyway, she's being framed for actually killing a security guard, which isn't the kind of thing Kamala does… Ephram?" Desi asked. The two were sitting in a booth at Mama Joy's. Desi was talking but Ephram wasn't listening.

"What?" he asked, turning to her. Desi laughed slightly. 

"Are you okay?" she asked him. It was Saturday and all day long Ephram had seemed kind of, _out of it_. Ephram nodded.

"Yea, yea it's just…" he said, wondering whether or not he should tell her, "Orrie's leaving tomorrow."

"What?" Desi asked, surprised. Ephram sighed.

"His father is coming to pick him up," he explained. Desi bit her lower lip.

"I take it Jig knows," she said. Ephram nodded, rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Yea, yesterday."

"How's she doing?" Desi asked, worried.

"Better. Yesterday was kind of hard. She's been taking a lot of walks, with Ein," he said, knowing Jig was better making him smile. Desi nodded with this great, deep understanding that only Desi had. She held one of Ephram's hands in both of hers. 

"Okay, and, one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two thr- Jig?" Amy asked. She and Jig were in Amy's living room, trying to waltz again. Jig blinked and looked at her. Amy looked at her cousin, worriedly.

"Uh, what?" Jig asked looking at her. 

"Are you okay, you're on beat five again?" Amy asked her, smiling. Jig looked at her, some far look on her face. Amy's eyes narrowed in worry.

"I'm fine. Where were we?" Jig asked her, her voice sounding as far away as the look on her face. Needless to say, Amy did not believe her.

"Jig, why don't we stop for a little bit?" Amy asked her. Jig nodded.

"O-okay," Jig said. Amy nodded. Amy released her and started walking over to the couch. Jig took one step and collapsed backward on to the floor.

"Jig!" Amy yelled and ran to her. She held Jig's head in her hands. 

"Dad!" Amy yelled, "DAD!"

Ephram sat in a badly cushioned wooden chair. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees and his mouth resting on his entwined fingers. As usual the look on his face was not one of incredible rapture, it was one of remorse and regret. He never should have left her. He was her friend, he was supposed to be at her side. Well, he was there now. Jig was laying in front of him in a hospital bed. Silent. Asleep. He closed his eyes and heard her breathing and the beeping of all of her machines. She was sick again. Another fever. A fever _he_ couldn't cure. Desi walked into the doorway and frowned seeing Ephram sitting there. She walked over and sat down in the seat next to him. He leaned back in the chair and looked at her sympathetic face. She picked up one of his hands and kissed it lightly with her lips. He smiled, hoping it would make her feel better. Unfortunate for his efforts, she knew he smiled for her sake.

"How's she doing?" she asked him. He frowned.

"She hasn't woken up yet."

"Well, I'm sure she'll be fine. Jig's as strong as I've ever known," Desi reassured him. He nodded. 

"She's only been sick once before…" Ephram told her. Desi's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?" she asked him. He nodded.

"Doing the snow in."

"Wow, lucky girl…" Desi said, remembering all of her days spent in bed. Ephram looked at her, and then they both looked at Jig, laying unconscious in the hospital bed. Desi bit her lower lip.

"Orrie's leaving in three hours. Some one should probably tell him…" Desi said. Ephram quickly turned his head to look at her.

"No! He can't find out! He'd want to stay!" Ephram told her. Desi narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Ephram, I don't understand. I thought we _wanted_ him-"

"Jig's already said good bye to him once. If she had to do it again…" Ephram told her. Desi, again with this great understanding she's been able to grasp, nodded.

Edna and Irv sat outside of the room in connected chairs leaning against the wall. Irv sat back, but Edna leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Edna might have been in the hospital hallway, but her mind was somewhere else. Her mind was reviewing every promise she ever made to Kathy. Every promise she ever made to Jig. Irv would occasionally rub her back in support. He'd rub Amy's too but she was on the other side of Edna and he couldn't reach her. Amy, as one would probably guess, was blaming herself. She never should have made Jig practice with her that day. She should have seen that Jig wasn't okay. She really had to be okay.

Rabbi Raymond Jackson was of an impressive 6'4" with a tan complexion, and jet black wavy hair. His height came mostly from his legs which looked longest whenever he sat down. He looked surprisingly nothing like his son, who evidently got all of his looks from his mother's side. Which, actually, anyone could deduce if seeing Orrie standing next to his cousin. Now, Rabbi Jackson stood in front of his ex-wife's house, holding one of his son's suitcases in his hand and a smile on his face. His ex-wife and her other son stood in front of the house as well, along with her little brother and niece. Orrie stood at his father's side, mixed emotions playing themselves on his face. Happy to see his father and leave his mother, and yet, sorry to leave his favorite cousin and, Jig. Neither of them were here now, and Orrie had a pit in his stomach that told him why. There had been some love between Orrie and Jig. Nothing binding, like Ephram and Desi. Nothing long lasting, they both had known that. And yet, there was something it hurt to say good bye to. He hoped Jig would be okay, he didn't want this to hurt her. She told him to go. She meant it.

Star walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. She bent down a little (her being 6'2" and him being 5'11"), and looked him in the eyes. She smiled.

"You know I'll miss you kid. But if this is what you want, then I can wait a few months to see you again," she told him. He nodded and smiled. She turned her head to the father standing behind her son.

"If he's not _perfect_ the next time I see him, _there is no place you can hide_," she told him. The Rabbi's eyes widened in surprise.

"Right," he said simply. He had survived living with that woman for five years, he knew what to respond to. Star turned back to her son, who she still had a firm grip on. She leaned forward, kissed her son's forehead, and let him go. She turned around and walked back over to Cory, Dr. Brown, and Delia. The four of them waved good bye as the father and son got into the car, and drove off. Dr. Brown turned to his sister with a smile.

"You're a good mother," he told her. She smiled and turned to him.

"I know."

Amy sat at the dinner table, staring at her dinner. Her parents were talking, or rather, arguing about some odd thing. At least it wasn't about them getting lost, Amy was about as sick of that topic as one can be. Bright sat quietly, like he usually did. The children were usually only involved in the dinner conversation under the line "How was school today?" And it was winter break, so there was no school. Oh, and what a winter break it was turning out to be. It certainly was off to a great start. Amy looked up from the casserole and over into the living room. She could see their Christmas tree from there. This year it had a 'snowflake' theme. Christmas trees shouldn't have themes. Christmas trees are supposed to be a collage of things gathered over the years. Things made by the children out of Popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners. Christmas trees were supposed to be about memories and family, not expensive decorations. 

"I talked to Jig's doctor this afternoon," Dr. Abbott said, gathering Amy's attention.

"And?" she asked him. He sighed. 

"Well," he started and cleared his throat, "he wouldn't declare her in a state of comatose. She seems simply to be asleep…"

"But…" Amy lead him. Dr. Abbott frowned but continued.

"But the fever is greatly affecting her body. Her immune system isn't used to this kind of attack," he explained.

"Wait, what kind of effects?" Bright asked him, more out of curiosity than worry for his second cousin. Dr. Abbott looked across the table at his wife, who nodded.

"Well, most predominately, it looks like, would be Juliet's ability to walk," Dr. Abbott told them. Amy's eyes widened in surprise.

"What! No!" Amy yelled.

"Amy, dear," Rose tried. Amy ignored her and got to her feet.

"No!" she yelled again, "I'm tired of people I love getting sick! I'm tired of it!" she yelled and ran from the room. Rose got up and followed her. Dr. Abbott let out a worried sigh and turned to his son. Bright shrugged and continued eating.

Ephram and Desi sat in the Jig's room playing Scrabble™ on a table next to her bed. Of the normal people who would wait for Jig, only the two of them and Edna remained. It was one in the morning and Irv had gone home a few hours ago after Edna threatened him. Dr. Brown and Delia had left long ago, Delia had to go to bed. Amy's parents had taken her home, no choice. Desi had stayed with him. She loved him so much, she'd stay up to one in the morning playing Scrabble™ with him. 

"V-A-N-I-L-L-A. There, what's that?" Desi asked him, smiling. Ephram smiled too.

"That's proof of how upset you are they don't have a frozen yogurt machine here," he told her. She laughed and kicked him lightly under the table.

"No, but really… You would _think_ they'd have a frozen yogurt machine here…"

"Desi, it's a _hospital_, not a buffet," he told her. She nodded.

"We have a frozen yogurt machine at home," she said.

"Oh, well, who doesn't?" he asked her. She kicked him again. 

"If you weren't so cute I'd be home now and I could _have_ some frozen yogurt," she told him.

"I'm sorry?" he said and she laughed. Desi sighed and turned to Jig.

"I wish I had a friend like Jig," she said. 

"You do, Jig…" he said. Desi smiled and shook her head. 

"No, I mean like the kind of friend Jig is to you. Could you live without her, Ephram?" Desi asked him.

"I'd rather not find out," he said. Desi gave him a lop sided grin but forgot it. Then she sighed.

"Well, you won't have to. Jig'll be fine. I just wish she'd hurry up," Desi said jokingly. Ephram smiled.

"She likes to let these things drag on. I think it makes her feel popular," he said.

"_You bastard_," Jig mumbled. 


	45. way to ruin the mood, Jig

Dr. Brown and Delia walked down the Hospital hallway to where Irv and Edna sat. Irv stood up to greet them but Edna remained sitting and, kinda slumped over. Irv shook Dr. Brown's hand and Delia looked at Edna, who wasn't moving.

"Why is Edna asleep in the hallway?" Delia asked Irv. He chuckled slightly.

"Because she's stubborn. Come on, Jig's awake," Irv said walking them inside. The two stopped seeing Jig semi-conscious in the bed (Amy at her side), but more, the completely unconscious people laying in what used to be the empty bed next to her. Desi and Ephram lay asleep on their sides, both facing Jig's bed. Ephram hand his arm wrapped around Desi and she didn't seem to mind.

"Ephram?" Dr. Brown asked.

"Oh don't. They barely got any sleep last night. Plus they're cute," Jig said weakly from the bed. Amy smiled. Dr. Brown leaned close to Irv.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Still weak, but, she knows where she is," Irv told him. Delia walked quietly past her brother and over to Amy. Amy smiled at her and Delia looked at Jig. Her hair was matted to her face, which was a sickly pale with red around her eyes. Dr. Brown walked over to them too and frowned. Delia walked away from Jig's bed and wrapped herself around her father's legs. He rubbed her shoulder with his hand. He had been used to seeing the sick, but Delia hadn't. For Amy this felt like old times, only Jig would occasionally talk to her. Plus, Amy had the benefit of knowing that Jig was never alone. The sleeping love birds had evidently moved in.

"How are you doing, Jig?" Dr. Brown asked her. Jig didn't answer him, her eyes already closed due to sleep. With a frown Dr. Brown turned to Amy, who sighed.

"She falls in and out of sleep quickly," Amy explained. Dr. Brown nodded.

"Dad, can we go?" Delia asked him.

"Yea, sure. You'll tell Ephram we stopped by?" Dr. Brown asked them. Both Amy and Irv nodded and Dr. Brown ushered Delia quietly from the room. 

The next time Ephram woke up it was dark again. His back hurt a little from the less than comfortable bed. The first thing he noticed was that he was now alone in the bed. Yet, he could hear Desi's voice. He blinked sleep from his eyes and looked over toward Jig, or, rather, followed the sound the Desi's voice. Desi was sitting in a chair facing Jig, a mug of tea in her hands. She was talking about her story. With an unheard moan Ephram got off of the hospital bed and walked toward Jig's bed. Jig was asleep.

"Can she hear you?" Ephram asked Desi, who turned to him with a smile.

"I don't know, but, I figured since you were getting tired of listening to me, I'd tell Jig," she said. Ephram smiled and walked over to her. 

"I never get tired of listening to you," he told her. She looked up at him and smiled. Jig shot up in the bed and leaned over the side of it. She threw up into a conveniently placed garbage can. Ephram cringed but Desi stood up and brought Jig a glass of water to wash her mouth out with. Once she had she leaned back into the bed and fell asleep again. Desi looked over and Ephram worriedly. Ephram was still a little disgusted and didn't notice it. 

"She's been doing that all day…" Desi told him. Ephram looked surprised.

" 'All day?' What time is it? How long have I been asleep?" Ephram asked her, looking around for a clock. Desi smiled.

"About twelve hours. It's seven thirty," she told him. He fell into a silent shock.

"I must have been tired…" he said. Desi started laughing and nodded. 

"The cafeteria's still open, if you're hungry," she told him. He nodded, placing a hand on his stomach.

"I think I am, I'll be right back…" he said, leaving the room. Desi waved to him and turned back to Jig. She placed her hand onto Jig's shin and rubbed it slightly with her thumb. Not her _legs_…

With Orrie gone and Dr. Brown being able to take care of himself and offspring, Star had made plans for the end of January. She and Cory would be there just long enough to celebrate Ephram's birthday, (Star was getting him some anime Orrie said he would like,) and then they would be off. Everwood wasn't enough for Star. Her little brother might be able to live at a slow, mind-numbing, pace, but she needed lights and movement and action. Right now she was an action movie kind of girl stuck in a chick flick, and she needed out. Cory too. He and Everwood mixed like vinegar and milkshakes. Cory being the vinegar, naturally. Star had gotten their old home back, after making the current resident cry, and enrolled Cory back into his school. Everything was set and taken care of, but only Star knew that. She was wondering when just the perfect time would be to tell Cory, or, more so, her little brother. She knew he needed her here for courage and support, and would no doubt miss her terribly, but he would have to get over it. It was the best thing for him.

Delia and Murasaki had spent the day making snowmen and snow angels in Delia's front and back yard. They also wrote their names in the snow, Murasaki writing hers in both English and Japanese. In hopes of bringing some happiness to his daughter, having seen Jig in the hospital lowering her spirits, Dr. Brown had suggested she invite Murasaki over to stay the night. Now this was a big step for Dr. Brown, normally he had enough trouble taking care of one incredibly intelligent nine-year-old, but now he had two. Not to mention neither Ephram nor Nina would be available for him, each taking care of their own feminine charges. They ordered out, naturally, Dr. Brown wasn't about to tempt fate. The three of them stayed up watching 'Billboard Dad.' There was something about the movie that Dr. Brown found a bit odd, but the girls seemed to enjoy it. 

Ephram had stopped by the cafeteria but felt a little too unnerved to eat. It probably had something to do with watching Jig vomit. Things like that had ways of demolishing appetites. Now he was walking off twelve hours of sleep. He could feel it, in his legs and in his back. He _had_ been asleep for awhile, but he didn't remember having any dreams. He remembered the smell of Desi's hair, and her warmth. He remembered thinking how much he always wanted to fall asleep like that. Wrapping his arm around Desi and holding her close to him when they were both at their most vulnerable. Why had she stayed with him like this? No one, _no one_, would even think of doing what she's doing. Being there for him in his vigil. Actually, she watched over Jig more than he did. Ephram really wasn't of any use here, but it made him feel better. Set him at ease. And Desi, Desi made the experience special. Without her it would be a chore, she made it seem like a mission. She'd make a good mother, someday. She handled Jig like a mother would. Caring, understanding, supportive, comforting. Jig probably didn't even realize it. Very few people realize how special Desi was, how wonderful every breath she borrowed was. Her parents didn't. Her parents barely remembered they had a daughter. Desi was like the good china. Bring it out when company comes, but forget it's there the rest of the time. Just set it in a cupboard somewhere, pay a person to dust it every now and then. Desi could handle meals daily. She could be washed and dried and used every day. And she'd do all while still maintaining that beauty that made her worth showing in the first place. 

Ephram wished he could really tell Desi how he felt about her. Everything he thought about her. How great she was, how special. Of course, he'd probably leave the plate metaphor out, but the rest he'd love her to know. Then again, it might make him sound like a complete geek. Like some Romeo who just stumbles and mumbles and gets laughed at. Some faulty Don Juan. But, Desi did have that seemingly uncanny ability to understand all, even without words. It's like she just knows. Maybe it's from years of watching, waiting, and listening. Maybe being a reporter makes her better and understanding how people think and feel.

He was pretty sure why this whole Orrie/Jig thing bothered him so much. He had thought that the two of them were like Desi and himself. He thought both couples held the same amounts of love. But Orrie says it wasn't like that. And Orrie left. Jig and Orrie bothered Ephram because he had this fear Desi would leave. Who knew the reason? He hadn't wanted to even imagine a reason, but what if she left? He'd be in the same position as Jig. Of course, her illness is physical, and his would be mental, but they'd amount to the same. He'd sleep, and sweat, and vomit and every now and then make a few noises that could be considered words. If Desi left, he'd be as pathetic looking as Jig was now. Actually, Jig would probably be the one taking care of him. His father would be too busy, Delia too young, and Amy, well, she's already taken care of enough people in her life. Ephram knew he would be able to live without Desi, but he'd have to struggle to find a reason to. But, like with Jig, he'd _really_ rather not find out.

Later that night, or, rather, very early the next morning, Ephram sat in a chair between the two occupied hospital beds. Jig was still asleep in her bed, and Desi had laid down in the other and quietly fallen asleep. Jig would snore every now and then, but Desi was quiet. Ephram was watching an incredibly late running episode of Jeopardy, and during the commercials he'd look over at Desi and smile. She was so beautiful. Ephram turned his head back to the TV screen.

"To memorize something through repetition, or, if you cannot, to jot it down," Alex said under the category 'Homophones.'

"Rote," Ephram said.

"Rote," the only female contestant said.

"Rote, right," Alex said and the contestant went on to another category.

"You're not bad," Jig said. Ephram turned to look at her, surprised. He smiled.

"You know, until now I thought girls were supposed to look _better_ while they slept, not _worse_," he told her. She gave him a weak smirk and looked over at Desi.

"What are you talking about? Desi looks great," Jig said.

"I wasn't talking about her," he said, looking at Desi and keeping his gaze there. Jig smiled.

"Amy once asked me if you were happy. Are you?" Jig asked him. He turned back to her.

"You have to ask?"


	46. merry christmas to all and to all a good...

Several days had passed with Ephram and Desi pretty much living in the hospital room with Jig. They even had changes of clothes brought in for them. But when it was Christmas Eve it was time to go home. Ephram didn't think that time would stand still outside of the hospital walls, but he didn't think it would go this far. Dr. Brown had covered the house in decorations like some man crazed. He had improved considerably since Halloween. Ephram had to smile looking over his father's Santa Workshop in the front yard. Actually, what really impressed Ephram, was how his father didn't forget. What he didn't forget was that even though he was Christian, his children weren't. In the front yard was a giant, inflated, menorah. Of course Chanukah was a month ago, but that didn't matter. Where would Dr. Brown even _get_ an inflatable menorah in _Everwood_? He must have sent out for it. That was, nice of him.

Inside the house the two had set the tree up. It was in the living room, which was dimly lit, making the tree look like an angel had come down from Heaven lighting up the room. A cone shaped angel, of course. Angels can be cone shaped. There were already presents under it, some for him, most for Delia. The entire holiday almost passed him by. Then he remembered, he had already gotten his shopping done, the presents were upstairs in his closet. Unwrapped. Quickly he found some paper, scissors, and tape and ran upstairs. He had actually bought a lot of presents this year, why hadn't he wrapped them when he bought them?

Over the next few hours Dr. Brown and Delia would watch with curiosity as Ephram walked up and down the stairs, delivering presents like Santa in fast forward. But, the two were patient, they'd wait until he was done before they shook and rattled the boxes. On his last trip down, however, Ephram carried only one, small gift. He grabbed his coat and headed out the door. 

It was kind of dark out and Ephram was not surprised to find himself alone on Everwood's streets. It was Christmas Eve, everyone was home with their family. Well, almost everyone. Irv and Edna were spending Christmas Eve at the hospital with Jig. But, Ephram wasn't on his way there now. He was on his way to Desi's. Her present was the one he had taken the most trouble to find. It was a snowflake pendant, about an inch in diameter, beautifully adorned with small diamonds. He had saved forever for it. It was so beautiful that even he thought so. He wasn't usually an admirer of jewelry, but this. This was prettier than any actual snowflake could ever hope to be. 

He stood on Desi's front porch and rang the doorbell. The door opened without him having to ring twice, and an elderly looking man answered dressed like some demented penguin. His face was thin and pale and so was his hair. He looked at Ephram like he was bored, and waited for Ephram to make his case.

"Uh, can I speak to Desi, please? My name is Ephram," he told the man. The man stared at him for a few moments, Ephram wasn't quite sure if he had been heard.

"Miss Quincampoix is currently dining with her family and cannot be disturbed. May I give her something for you?" he asked, his eyes moving to the small package in Ephram's hand.

"Um, yea. Can you give her this for me?" he asked, handing the package to the butler.

"Yes, certainly sir," he said, taking the package, "Merry Christmas, sir."

"You too…" Ephram said and the door closed. Ephram let out a long sigh and felt his lungs filling with the cold air. He turned and started down the stairs, each footstep sounding loudly. He was no longer in the mood to take careful steps. A few feet down the walkway he heard the door behind him open. He turned around and found Desi standing in the doorway. She was wearing a long white dress with bare shoulders, and the way the light hit her from behind, and how every heavy breath she took made the light glitter off of the snowflake laying at her collarbone, she looked like the angel he had imagined before.

"Ephram!" she yelled and ran onto the porch and down the steps, leaving the door open behind her. She ran the few feet of the walkway and wrapped her arms around Ephram's neck, kissing him. He didn't mind. When she pulled her lips from his she hugged him tightly, out of love and needing his warmth to warm her chilled bare skin. But mostly from love. Finally she backed away from him and held her fingertips to the necklace.

"Oh Ephram! It's beautiful! Thank you!" she told him. He smiled, and nodded. She hadn't need to speak, the look on her face was enough for him. She looked like she was about to cry as her fingertips ran along the new treasure she bore. He then noticed the dress.

"Desi, where'd you get that dress?" he asked her. She smiled and did a turn in it. The long skirt flew around her like the four winds were guiding it.

"Do you like it? It's a variation of Queen Serenity's dress, from Sailor Moon," she said with a smile, knowing how anything anime pleased him. He smiled too.

"If you think I'm going out and buying a top hat you're nuts," he told her. She smiled and pulled him closer to her buy his jacket.

"Don't worry," she said, her face close to his, "I have one you can borrow. Merry Christmas, Ephram."

"Merry Christmas, Desdemona," he said and kissed her.

Amy knocked on the hospital room door and stuck her head in. Edna and Irv were sitting by Jig's bed, talking to her. They both looked when they heard Amy though and welcomed her in, of course. Amy walked into the room carrying a gift bag in her hands. Irv stood up and offered her his seat. She took it, knowing Irv loved being polite. She smiled at her grandmother and then looked at Jig. Jig looked a little better than she had a few days earlier. She had stopped vomiting but still slept most of the time. She was sleeping now. Amy turned to Edna.

"I brought her a Christmas present," Amy told her, quickly lifting up the bag. Edna nodded.

"What'd you get her?" Edna asked.

"Well I, um, oh here…" Amy said standing up and walking over to her grandmother. She removed the gift and showed it to Edna, it being a little hard to put into words. Edna smiled. It was a picture taken in Amy's home about fifteen years ago. It was of Kathy holding an infant Juliet in her arms, looking down at the baby, smiling like the baby was the only joy in her life. Edna ran her hand down the golden frame and stood up. She walked over and placed the picture frame on the table near Jig's bed. She tilted it so Jig could see it when she woke up.

"I bet the kid won't mind if she gets it a day early," Edna told her. Amy nodded, smiling. Irv smiled too, seeing the picture. Kathy had been a Christmas person. She loved this time of year. He didn't know if Jig did. This year would be bad anyway. The first Christmas since Kathy's death. It's only been a little over two months. Edna walked over to her granddaughter and gave her a hug.

"That was a great idea, Grover," Edna told her.

"I just hope Jig likes it."

"She'll love it. And if she doesn't, I'll take it, because I love it," Edna said. Amy smiled and hugged her back.

When Ephram got back home he found Delia and Dr. Brown running away from the bottom of the Christmas tree, trying to look like they weren't doing what they were doing. Ephram smirked and hung up his coat. He walked over to the stairs and on the first step shouted:

"You can wait until tomorrow!"

Up in his room he had one last present to wrap. He didn't want to get Jig anime. She was his best friend, anime wasn't enough. So, short of asking _her_, he asked _Edna_. Edna told him that before Jig was even born, her mother had written her a song on the piano. And, Edna had a copy of the music. Ephram had played it and put it on a CD for Jig. Actually, and he would make sure he told Jig this, he was surprised how pretty it was. It was a beautiful song, better than the one he had written for Amy. That's right, he did write a song for Amy. In anger he threw the pillow off of his bed. _That's_ what he should have gotten Desi for Christmas, he should have written her a _song_. But, he supposed, a reason he didn't write her a song was that he was too busy, spending time with her. He'd write her a song for her birthday, which was… when? He should probably find out her birthday. Hell, he should probably tell her his, it _was_ in just a month. He should probably tell Jig too. No, wait, she knew. That's right. Delia had told her. 

Wrapping the CD was easy, and when he was done Ephram laid down on his bed. That night had been almost magical. Desi was so beautiful. She looked like, well, like an angel. Like a gift to him from god. And Ephram was thankful. Desi was what he always wanted. Desi was what he never knew he always wanted. And she loved him back! This year, it had been an odd one. For the most of it, the year consisted of parts he'd rather forget. His mom, moving, the pains, and even the pleasures, with Amy. But, those were things he needed. He needed for his mother to die so he would move to Everwood and meet Desi. And he needed to meet Amy so he would learn how great Desi was for him. Actually, this past year, he needed the bad as much as the good. The scale was tipped unevenly, but still each carried the same amount for him. One bit of good equaled three bits of bad. 

If someone had told Ephram toward the beginning of the year, that by the time the year ended, he would be happy, he never would have believed it. Of course the idea would drag at his hopes the rest of the year, but he wouldn't actually have believed it. But he was. He _actually_ was. He was happy. He had a beautiful and loving girlfriend, great friends, and, not that he'd ever believe this either, an entire loving family. He had a sister who looked up to him and loved him, and a father who cared, and who was beginning to understand. 

They were actually getting along. Believe it or not. They weren't exactly to the stage of 'bonding' yet, but they hadn't fought in awhile. Ephram didn't feel like fighting anymore. Neither did Dr. Brown. That fit them both well. Peace was good, and lately, abundant. Actually, Ephram was beginning to realize exactly how much his own life affected his father's. When things for Ephram were rocky, so was the relationship between he and his father. But when things were smooth for Ephram, thing were smooth at home. Ephram was beginning to realize how important he was, and Jig didn't need to cry for him to see it. 


	47. Behind the Scenes

I like doing this type of thing. A little "Behind the Scenes of BCIT." Why I named people what, where I got things from, inside jokes. Just, things you might be curious about. Anyway, you don't have to read it (obviously) but you can if you want to (obviously).

"Birds Coughing in the Trees" Behind the Scenes

NAMES:

1. Juliet Ira "Jig" Green- Her last name was originally supposed to be "Graham" but I couldn't resist having Juliet _Green and Ephram __Brown be friends. "Jig" actually comes from a short story I wrote long ago about a female thief who I, from __somewhere, decided to name Jig. I've been looking for a way to use it since. (Actually, my family has a history of Scottish Country Dancing, so Jig is also kind of an inside joke as well.) Juliet was just great because of the idea associated with it and I love Shakespeare. Ira was random. Oh, the Juliet/ Julia thing was a huge coincidence, NOT intentional! Seriously! I screamed when I realized I had done that._

2. Desdemona "Desi" Quincampoix- Desdemona was named because I wanted her to be Black and have a Shakespearean name. Othello was a Shakespearean play actually named after a Black character. Plus I'm an "I Love Lucy" fan so "Desi" was nice. Quincampoix is from the movie "Amelie" which is cute. The main guy's name is Nino Quincampoix and I liked it. Actually she was first named Helena Bertram from Shakespeare. But, that was a little too Huntress (Helena Bertinelli). Desi is like the anti-Huntress. Not vindictive, and, well, not a mob princess. Plus, I don't think Desi likes purple. And, Desi listens to other people. Anyway, side tracked…

3. Orlando "Orrie" Jackson- Jackson was random. Orrie was actually named after the character out of Shakespeare's As You Like It.

4. Corin "Cory" Cather- Cory was out of Shakespeare's As You Like It just like his brother. I liked the Orrie/Cory thing. Now Cather is a joke. In Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series there is a character named Orrie Cather. I couldn't just out use the name straight out so I gave the name to Cory instead.

5. Star Cather- I had given Cory the last name so his mom had to have it too. Now, Star, I bet you're wondering why on earth I'd name her that. When I was trying to think of a name, we drove past a Starbucks. Easy as that.

6. Murasaki Kasshoku- I once wrote a report on Murasaki Shikibu who was a woman who wrote the world's first novel. (Which I have also read.) Kasshoku is actually Japanese for "Brown." That was just cute.

7. Genji Kasshoku- Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji) was the novel written by Murasaki Shikibu.

8. Isaac Graham/De La Vega- Isaac is the name of the guy I had a crush on in the 3rd grade. ^_^;; Graham was originally supposed to be Jig's last name but when I switched to Green Isaac got Graham. My mom gave me the name De La Vega. I think it was Zorro's name.

9. Kamala/Nino- Desi's two novel characters. Kamala is the name of a character in Herman Hesse's Siddhartha, which I happened to be reading at the time. Nino is a joke of Desi's last name. I got it from a character name Nino Quincampoix, from "Amelie."

10. Maggie Harper- There's this old Scottish song I really like which is a man talking to his wife about times gone by. The wife's name was Maggie.

11. Mack Harper- I have no idea…

12. Ein- Corgi from Cowboy Bebop. Smart little thing. Hacks into computers.

13. The Gordon House was named after the Batman Gordons. James, Babs, take your pick.

14. If anyone wondered why I named the siblings Gordon killed. Because they're the names of Gregory Smith's siblings.

15. In one of the beginning chapters, Dr. Brown treats a baby girl named "Pamela." That's Treat Williams' wife's name.

TITLE:

          You know, I originally only planned on making Jig… The title was from a quote about LA, where Jig grew up. I did have Ephram say it. It was like "LA is the only city in the world where you can wake up and hear the birds coughing in the trees." I forget who said it. Ask Ephram.

INSPIRATION:

1. Desi I got from a dream. Remember the football game scenes. I dreamt Jig sitting next to Amy and pointing to the other set of bleachers to Ephram sitting with another girl. So, I made up a girl. 

2. I got Ein from a dream I had where I was being followed by a raccoon.

3. The novel idea that Desi has about a female thief, is an inside joke. I once wrote a short story about a female thief whose name was Jig. That's where I got Jig's name from.

4. What Ephram tells Desi about the stories his mom used to tell him about the little boy whose bed could take him any where, and who had a robotic teddy bear as a best friend… My dad used to tell me those stories, (only with a girl instead of a boy.)

5. Jig's wall of pictures. Hm… This is an odd one. No, I don't have my own wall! In the newspaper one day was a picture of Heath Ledger from "Four Feathers," I think… Anyway, it was a picture of him smiling enough to show his teeth and I kept it, I dunno why. It's lying at the bottom of a pile somewhere. Anyway, I thought "what a weird thing that would be to collect." So I had Jig start collecting them for her wall.

6. Orrie's black room! I'm taking a photography class for school. (I go to a high school for the arts.) So, I figured, I now know about photography and developing, let's use it!

7. The trip to see Spirited Away. My friend and her "boyfriend" asked if I wanted to go with them and I said something along the lines of "YES! I LOVE YOU!" So I went, and it was majorly cool. And I had them mention it before, so I thought, sure!

8. Why is Orrie 5'11" and is little brother 6'1"? Because Gregory Smith is 5'11" and his little brother is 6'1".

PAST WORK:

The Phantom- Treat Williams Harriet the Spy- Gregory Smith A movie I don't name but give strong idea of, Small Soldiers- Gregory Smith. Billboard Dad- Dr. Abbott (I don't want to misspell his name.) 

JIG:

I felt it was important to have Jig as a girl so there could be a constant female figure in the Brown's house. Someone who could help Delia (and Dr. Brown) when she reaches puberty. Someone who would always be there, (we don't know how often Nina will be able to come around when her husband gets home, plus, she has her own stuff to do.) I wanted her parents to be military so Edna would like Jig better. Plus, having Jig's dad die during his service, helped show how horrible fighting and war are. And Jig's mom, hmm, uh, I wanted her death to be brutal. To kind of make Jig look more pathetic than Ephram. And hate does tend to kill rather ugly, so I had to make Kathy one of those unpopular minorities. The instruments were done to show that even though Jig grew up in a less than "cultured" society, she can still do the same things people with money can do and, in this case, more. It was also done to show how much time Jig spent at home and that the whole apartment house was like a family, so moving in with Edna and Irv is more like just a step sideways than a step up. And the banjo, I just thought that was odd enough to be great. The reason I had Wendell fall for her was just me having fun. You see, the weekend I introduced Jig, giving Ephram a friend, the following Monday they introduced Wendell, giving Ephram a friend. So, having him fall for her was just my revenge at them. The anime thing I didn't have a choice on (not that I minded.) Ephram is a comic/anime/manga geek, so he would be have to be friends with someone else who is. See, he could _love someone who didn't like anime, but not be their friend. Not in my opinion anyway. And Jig's dating Orrie, well, I won't get into that one yet. Actually there is a line I wanted to give Jig, but never got around to. I wanted to have someone ask her why she had no trouble breathing in Everwood, Colorado having such thin air way up there, and I wanted her to say "I'm from LA, I don't know what air __is." But I never got a chance to. _

DESI:

I had Desi as a reporter because I wanted her to get herself involved in Ephram's life. I didn't think it'd be realistic for Ephram to initiate a friendship, or Jig, and Amy pretty much has her friendships in order, so I wanted Desi to get herself in there. I also wanted her to be one of those reformed characters. You know, her love for Ephram makes her not write the story on him. Actually, I had their first kiss in mind awhile ago. I had her writing the article and calling Ephram to the spot where the Kissing Bridge used to be. And I wanted to have her throw the disc and printed copies of the unpublished article into the gorge, or river, or whatever you want to call it. Then she'd kiss him. And then, of course, Jig and Amy would fall out of a near by tree or something, and get pelted by snowballs. But, it just didn't end up that way. Desi and Ephram's relationship actually took its own course. Him asking her to see Spirited Away was as much of a surprise to you as it was to me. I wrote it and looked up and said "whoa, big step Ephram." Then that kiss, that wasn't planned until it happened. Now, Desi being the mayor's daughter caused some problems. I know Rose is mayor, but I wanted Desi to be the "mayor's daughter," so Rose was demoted to Deputy Mayor. Sorry Rose. What I wanted was her dad to be higher in Everwood society than Amy's dad, I wanted her dad to be important. Plus I thought having a Black mayor would be a good step for Everwood, having only six or seven Black people. (At least that we've seen, and only two have names.) Actually, the reason her dad is Black and not her mom is because in Othello that's how it was. Guy Black, girl White. Now, don't ask me why Desi's hair is darkish red and not black. I just thought that would be cool looking, plus, Ephram dyes his hair too. His and Hers hair dyes. Christopher was important because people weren't liking Desi and she needed a sob story. Originally I had him die in the Navy but that was "too Jig." So, killed in New York City was another connection to Ephram. The novel, hm, just reviving Desi's want of being famous nationwide for her work. The Brown article was axed so, a novel is her still working on it.

STAR & THE BOYS:

I was forgetting what a huge part of the story Dr. Brown is, so I wanted to bring in a story line that had a lot to do with him. And Dr. Brown having a big sister was just a fun idea. Andy the baby brother. He tries to act like he can handle anything thrown at him, but when Star walks into the room, he's just as scared as everyone else. More so, actually. I don't know if anyone thought this, but Star is kind of like all of the shrinks from Ally McBeal combined, which was ironic, seeing as how Trott was actually _on Ally McBeal. Star needed to be a force to be reckoned with. She also needed to be the worst person in the world to help Dr. Brown raise kids. But, she needed to be honest, no matter how much it hurt. And she was, wasn't she? Star has never tip toed her way around anything. _

Cory needed to be Ephram x553. He needed to be the worst kid you can imagine. Hated everything and yet, didn't give a damn. He needed to be horrible just, this little devil child, thing. Plus, I thought it would be interesting having the kid Ephram's age being the one Ephram hates and the kid Bright's age being the one Ephram likes. 

Orrie is a sweet heart, isn't he? Actually, now that I think of it, he looks like Kira, from Angel Sanctuary. (The sword/devil guy Orrie and Ephram were talking about.) But, actually, he looks a lot like Ephram too. That was done to make them look more like brothers, which they seemed to act like. Plus, for Jig, on a subconscious level, she doesn't "like like" Ephram, but she can "like like" someone who _looks like Ephram. I don't think I actually said this or just assumed you'd get it, but Orrie was Jewish. That was to give him and Ephram another thing in common. Oh, and for the LOTR fans, his name being Orlando was purely Shakespearean._

Um, that's all I can think of now. If I get more, I'll post it. Learn anything interesting?


	48. that mary sue test was an 'infraction'

Christmas in the Brown's house the next morning had been worth waiting for. Not one of the three spent the rest of the day dissatisfied. It was only material satisfaction, but for that morning it was enough. Actually, as the three of them considered it, the presents were not the best thing to happen that day. After the gift exchange and breakfast, the three drove over to the hospital to wish Edna and Irv 'Merry Christmas.' To their surprise the entire Abbott family had shown up. Even Bright, who was still tired, but sported a new watch. Just as the three approached the room, they received an unexpected surprise. Jig exited the room and saw them. She smiled and waved, fully aware she was doing it. The three Browns stopped in their tracks. Ephram's mouth was hanging wide enough to catch flies, while Dr. Brown and Delia only smiled, pleased. Jig, in a wheelchair, rolled herself over and stopped in front of Ephram. 

"Here," she said, handing him a gift bag.

"Her temperature is still a little high, and she's still tired, but besides that she seems to be feeling fine," Dr. Abbott updated Dr. Brown. Dr. Brown nodded. The two were leaning against the wall near the door in Jig's room. Their children were in the middle of the room, crowded around the girl in the wheelchair who seemed to be enjoying the attention.

"And what about her legs?" Dr. Brown asked. Dr. Abbott frowned. 

"They're weak, but not totally useless. With some therapy she'll be walking again in a few weeks," Dr. Abbott told him.

"Does she know?"

"Oh yes, of course. They're going to wait a few more days before starting her on physical therapy. Give her a few more days to regain her strength."

"That's probably a wise decision."

"It was my idea," Dr. Abbott said and the two doctors glanced at each other and then turned back to the younger ones. 

Ephram sat in a chair close to Jig as he removed the tissue paper and removed the picture frame. Pictures were a popular gift item this year. This picture, however, did not include a mother. It was a black and white picture of Ephram and Desi kissing. He smiled and turned to Jig, who was happy to see his smile. Ephram remembered the scene, it was about two weeks ago. Jig must have printed it in Orrie's darkroom right before he left. Maybe even the last picture.

"Thanks, Jig," he told her. She nodded. Then Ephram reached into the bag he had brought and handed her a CD player. She put it on. He handed her the wrapped CD. Curiously she opened it and looked confusedly at the unmarked disc. Ephram took it out of the holder and placed it in the player. He hit 'play' and watched as Jig listened to the song. She smiled and turned to him.

"This is pretty, what is it?" she asked him.

"It's called 'Juliet's Lullaby,"" he told her and she smiled, closing her eyes and listening to it.

"It was composed by a woman named Katherine Green," he said, Jig's eyes opened and she looked at him, surprised, "supposedly, she wrote it for her daughter."

Suddenly Jig's eyes filled with happy tears. They fell down her cheeks and gathered at her chin. She leaned forward and hugged him. 

"Thanks, Ephram," she told him. He nodded.

"Can I hear it?" Amy asked her. Jig nodded and handed her the headphones. Amy smiled.

"You're mom was good, Jig," Amy told her. Jig nodded again.

"She was, wasn't she?" Jig asked, raising her hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying. Edna noticed that and shooed everyone from the room except Ephram and Amy, and, of course, herself. Irv helped her and closed the door behind him.

Amy took off the headphones and gave them back to Ephram. She leaned forward and hugged Jig, letting Jig cry a little onto her shoulder. Ephram frowned.

"Jig I didn't mean to…" he started.

"No, it's okay Ephram. Thank you for the gift, I love it," she reassured him. He nodded.

"Come on kid, let's get something eat," Edna said, more pulling Ephram out of the room than ushering him. Ephram made no objections though.

Outside of the hospital room Edna closed the door again. Ephram was about to go talk to his father and sister when Desi ran over to him. She was obviously in a very excited state and, still in her nightgown. She tried running into the room but Ephram held her back.

"Is she up? Is she really up!" Desi yelled. Someone had called her. Ephram looked at Dr. Brown who turned away from his son's gaze.

"Yes she's up and talking to Amy. Aren't you cold?" he asked her.

"I'm freezing, can I see her?" Desi asked. Her shook his head. Desi stopped struggling to get inside.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Girl talk."

"Oh," she said, starting to turn around to walk away. Then a thought occurred to her.

"Wait a minute! I'm a girl!" she yelled and tried to get into the room again. Again Ephram stopped her.

"Come on, let's get you some clothes," he said carrying her down the hall. Delia started laughing but placed her hand over her mouth to stop herself. That action made Bright laugh a little, but he never thought to hide it. Delia smiled. 

On this Christmas morning there was one person who had been nearly forgotten. It bugged him, sure. He was worried. It had been days since he's seen his favorite person in the world. She had probably forgotten about him by now anyway. He supposed he just wasn't her type. Not clean enough, a little rough around the edges. But that wasn't a reason for her to abandon him like this. He loved her, and he thought she loved him back. Just because he was a _raccoon_ was no reason to discriminate. Now here he was, alone in this huge house, and no one to share it with. Everyone was gone, and no one had told him where. Well, he wasn't going to stand for this! If they weren't going to come to him! He was going to go to them!

Ein had been to _his_ house enough times to get there by himself. He could still smell Jig there, even though it had been a few days since she's walked these streets. He could smell _him_ too. If he didn't have an _odor_. Ah, there, that house looks familiar. Yes! That's definitely the house. Jig spends a lot of time in there. Ein scratched on the front door for awhile with no luck. No one answered. He climbed up onto the near by windowsill and jiggled the handle. The door popped open. Good. Inside the entire place smelled like _him_. It was horrible, almost unbearable. What qualities Jig saw in him to be his friend Ein would never know. He found nothing about Ephram Brown appealing unless it was deep-fried. No one was home. No family, no _Jig_. Perfect, he came all of this way and _nothing_. How unpleasant. Well, he'd wait on the front porch and demand the first person who came home to take him to Jig. He _must_ find her!

About an hour later a black car pulled up in front of the Brown's house. Two people emerged, one bearded man and one little girl. The man Ein had no distinct feelings for, but the girl he liked. She gave him food sometimes, when no one was looking. She was good people. The man stopped, seeing Ein sitting on his front porch. Dr. Brown sighed.

"Come on, let's go see Jig," he said. Ein stood up on his hind legs. He _liked_ this guy.

They had a paper bag that fit Ein perfectly. They placed some tissue paper on top of him and carried him undetected into the hospital. It was not unusual for dogs and cats and other pets to be brought into hospitals to help patients, why shouldn't a domesticated raccoon? So, Dr. Brown carried Ein into the hospital and into Jig's room, unnoticed. Jig was back into her bed and Edna, Irv, Desi, Amy, and Ephram were sitting around her. They all watched curiously as Dr. Brown placed the bag on the bed at Jig's feet. Suddenly a small tear in the paper bag became bigger, and a raccoon's head popped out. Everyone smiled and Delia closed the door.

"Ein!" Jig yelled. The critter, excited, tore through the bag and over to her. She hugged him and rubbed his head. Desi petted him too. 

"I almost forgot about him. Thank you Dr. Brown," Jig told him. He nodded. 

"Actually, he was waiting on the front porch when we got home. I think he missed you," Dr. Brown told her. Jig smiled. 

"I missed him too. But, is he allowed in here?" she asked him

"Uh, he's not actually here, Jig," Irv told her. She looked at him and nodded.

"Oh, _right_. No raccoon," she said. Suddenly there was a beeping noise and immediately all eyes went to the equipment Jig was hooked up to. But, it wasn't that. Desi looked down at her beeper.

"Up, oh, damn, I gotta go. My grandparents just got in. See you tomorrow," she said giving Ephram a kiss goodbye and walking out of the room. 

"We better leave too, with Ein," Dr. Brown said. Jig nodded, hugged the raccoon once more, and placed him back into the torn bag, covering the hole with tissue wrap. Irv walked the three out. Jig turned to Ephram.

"Her grandparents?" she asked. Ephram nodded.

"From France."

"Are you going to meet them?"

"As soon as I learn French."

"So you're never going to meet them?"

"Right."

Later that night as Jig lay asleep alone in the room, Dr. Abbott slowly opened the hospital door and peered in. He could never get over how much Jig looked like her mom. He and Kathy had grown up together, here, in Everwood. She had been like his little sister. Dr. Abbott walked into the room and closed the door behind him. He walked over and sat in one of the chairs beside her bed. Through some perfect timing Jig's eyes opened and she looked at him. It took little time for her to recognize his face.

"Hi Harold."

"Hello, Juliet, how are you feeling?" he asked her. She smiled.

"Can't complain. What are you doing here?"

"Just checking up on my favorite first cousin once removed," he said, placing a small smile on his face. Jig sighed and turned away from him, back to the ceiling.

"You know Harold, well of course you know, that I never met my dad. But what you don't know is that whenever I imagined my father, who he was, what his morals where, I always hoped he was exactly like _you_," she said and paused. 

Dr. Abbott sighed and took her hand in his.

"Thank you," he told her. She smiled and nodded.


	49. i couldn't update until now, sorry

It was late at night and most of Everwood was asleep. Not even a dog barked. But, the hospital was wide awake. Nurses and doctors moved about, and some patients in pain couldn't sleep. But, some painless patients were awake as well. Jig and Amy laid side by side, scrunched in Jig's hospital bed. The room was entirely dark with the exception of the flashlight Amy was moving around on the ceiling. The two girls were watching it silently, almost memorized by the light. It was quiet too, with the exception of the muffled sound of movement in the hallway, and the wind hollowing past the window. 

It was New Year's Eve, maybe five in the morning. Jig looked over at her cousin unnoticed, and she smiled. Everyone had come to see her at midnight. They held a little party right here, in this small hospital room, but Amy had stayed. Jig wasn't sure if it was because Amy was truly worried about her being safe or lonely, or if she was making up for leaving Ephram and Desi in the cold two months before. Jig smiled again and looked back at the light. She wondered if Amy knew that if Ephram and Desi hadn't been abandoned, they might not be in love now. No, that probably hadn't occurred to her. She was so bent on giving herself a guilt, she wouldn't see all of the good that came from the mistake. 

Jig sighed and Amy turned to look at her. Jig noticed and turned to look back at her. Amy smiled.

"What were you doing last New Year's Eve, Jig?" Amy asked her. Jig sighed and laughed a little.

"Bussing tables. I was at table six when the ball dropped. They didn't leave a tip. That should have been a sign."

"A sign of what?"

"Of what a horrible year this would be!" Jig said. Amy's face turned to a frown so Jig's did too. It hadn't been a good year for anyone, but, considering everything, it had been worse for Jig. When Amy remembered that, she realized how much she had overreacted to Colin's accident. 

"Where were you, Amy?"

"Kissing Colin, at the New Year's Eve party his parents were holding. Laynie took a picture of it. It's on my dresser," Amy said, smiling at the memory. Jig smiled too. 

"How's he doing?"

"Great. Better than anyone expected. They're talking about him maybe coming home soon," Amy said hopefully. Jig nodded.

"I can't wait to meet him."

"You'll like him. I think he'll like you too."

"I should probably give him some time to get comfortable before I meet him, right? Give him enough time to get used to the faces he already knows before introducing him to a new one," Jig said smiling. Amy nodded. The truth was, it might be awhile. Colin still didn't look like he'd even recognize Amy at this point. Jig would find that out in time. Amy felt no need to worry her with her own problems at this point.

Actually, in some weird, kind of sad way, Jig's being in the hospital was beneficial to Amy. She couldn't be at Colin's side, so being here, taking care of Jig, it gave her a place to be, something to do, someone to care for. She'd never voice these ideas aloud, she wasn't very proud of them, but they were there. It was amazing the effect Jig had on everyone. It really wasn't her, specifically. There wasn't anything about Jig personally to affect the way things had worked, it was just her position. A member of Amy's family, a friend for Ephram. It made things easier for everyone, except maybe Edna and Irv. Just having a body there to take these jobs was wonderful.

"Hey, Jig, you know what?" Amy asked her.

"Probably," Jig replied and grinned. Amy shook her head with a smile.

"I'm glad you're here."

"In the hospital?"

"No! In Everwood! I'm glad you came."

"I belong here."

"I heard you were born here, but, you don't always belong where you were born."

"I thought that was the rule."

"Do you think Ephram belongs in New York City?"

"No."

"Well then, there you go…" Amy said. Jig nodded, defeated. She sighed.

"You know I owe all of my greatest friends to tragedies," Jig confessed. Amy looked over at her. Jig explained.

"Well look at it with Ephram. If his mom had never died, he'd still be in NYC. And if _my mom hadn't died, I'd still be in LA. Now if just __his mom or just __my mom had died, we never would have met."_

"You would have, you guys were meant to meet," Amy reassured her. 

"When did _you become a fatalist?" Jig asked, slightly amused. Amy turned to her, surprised._

"What did you just call me?" Amy asked her. Jig turned to her, surprised the comment had such an impact.

"A fatalist. Don't worry, it's not a bad word. A fatalist is just someone who-"

"Yea, yea I know what it means…" Amy said. Jig looked confused.

"Then why'd you-?"

"It's just, that, I've never been called that before," Amy confessed. Jig smiled and shrugged.

"Well, you can't say that again," Jig told her. Amy laughed.

"No, I suppose I can't."

Dr. Brown lugged the dying Christmas tree to the curb. When it was there he straightened his back and frowned when he heard the 'crack' sound it made. He sighed and looked down the road. It was like death row for Christmas trees. On the curb in front of every house both up and down the street lay a corpse of the vanished Christmas spirit. It was the sixth of January (the twelfth day of Christmas), and that meant it was time to loose the trees. Not a curb in Everwood missed the date. Star even had her twelve foot tree hauled to the curb that morning. Dr. Brown would have suspected it was some kind of town wide tradition, but, it had been well published that the seventh was tree pick up day, and no day later. It just happened to fit in with the twelfth day of Christmas by coincidence. There were plenty of those in Everwood. 

It had been the first Christmas without Julia in twenty years, but, he had gotten through it. He and the kids, had gotten through it. The spirit of the season had not been totally unfavorable to the remaining Brown family. Ephram met Desi's parents and survived to tell about it. Delia had a baseball cap from Japan. Jig was walking. And, the best of all possible news, Star and Cory were leaving in three weeks. The later probably should not have been the best news for Dr. Brown, but, it was. He was a little ashamed of it, but he was too happy to care. Star was leaving! Star was leaving! If he knew how to do the rumba, he would. Sure, he loved his big sister, somewhere, but, she was best in small doses. Very small. Microscopic even. You know, just a picture of her in his house somewhere was enough. As long as it was turned so he didn't have to see it. He had spent fourteen years of his life with her, and that was more than anyone should be asked to do. 

It was hard for Dr. Brown to find role models. He was usually one himself, which made it hard for him to find one. But, he had always admired Orrie and Cory. It was just for their ability to stay alive. Sure, the instinct for survival was in every human, but, there was no instinct that could combat Star and win. Those boys had something else, some great mystical power. Dr. Brown always thought so, anyway. They were not normal kids, not that he would expect them to be. Not only were they Star's boys, but they had Brown blood in them. Well, not brown blood, their blood was red, but they had the Brown _family blood in them. Dr. Brown hated to toot his family's horn, but they had always been great. Their oldest ancestors to come to the US of A came over on the Mayflower. One of their ancestors signed the __Declaration of Independence. They were related to one of the Presidents Adams, through their wife's side. They were related to Elizabeth Blackwell, which was one of the reason's Dr. Brown became a doctor. Well, that and the fact that the game Operation™ just wasn't challenging him enough anymore. _

Ephram was laying on his bed, listening to his music. His eyes were closed and his head bobbed back and forth at different rates, depending on the song. He had just gotten back from the hospital where he did his homework and helped Jig try to walk again. He had never heard her swear so much since he's known her. Amidst his music, Ephram barely heard the knock on his door. He allowed entrance, sitting up and turning his music off. He stood up as Desi walked into his room. Desi held a wrapped, rectangular shaped gift in her hands and an apologetic smile on her face.

"Desi…" he said removing his headphones and placing them on his bed. He could hear the faint music start up again so he hit the 'stop' button a second time.

"Hi, Ephram. Um, I'm sorry…" she said incredibly apologetically. Ephram's eyes narrowed in worry.

"For what?" he said, smiling briefly as he said it. Desi took a step toward him.

"Well, uh, you see, I… well… It's kind of funny really. You see, I just realized, I forgot to give you your Christmas gift…" she said. Ephram smiled and chuckled a little in relief. 

"You're not mad?" Desi asked him timidly. He walked over to her, lifted her chin up, and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Not mad. So what is it?" he asked her. Desi smiled excitedly and handed him the gift. Before he could open it she moved him back to his bed and made him sit down. She then moved his CD player and sat down next to him.

"Open it!" she said, almost hopping up and down where she sat. Now excited himself, Ephram opened the present. It was a comic book. Batman was on the cover, and Ephram's eyes went to the date. 1947. Surprised he turned to Desi, smiling.

"Desi! Where'd you find such an old copy?" he asked her. Her smile widened.

"Open it!" she repeated. He opened the protective plastic casing and held the book in his hands. The first thing he noticed was the smell of it. He loved the different smells old comic books had. He opened (very carefully) to the first page and read what was written on it in big black, cursive letters.

"Bob Kane"

Ephram would have jumped a mile if it were humanly possible. Quickly and yet carefully he placed the book back in its plastic cover. He turned to Desi, him in disbelief and her with a giant smile.

"Do you like it?" she asked him. He was too shocked to form words but nodded. Her smile widened.

"Good! Now, I still have my homework to get done, so I have to hurry back home. I'm glad you liked it," she said standing up, kissing him on the forehead, and walked out of his room, closing the door behind her. A few moments after she had left Ephram jumped into the air and started jumping around his room, cheering. 


	50. for them it's jan but i'm planned until ...

'Nother Note Thingy: One swear word here. **Gasp** And it's NOT Cory! Oh and for those of you who have read my novels (At the Harbor With No Water and A Life to Live At Little Harbor) There's an inside joke here from the 2nd one. 

Jig was asleep in her hospital bed and Ephram sat at her side, doing his math homework. You know, being able to use the quadratic equation is an important asset to have later in life. Wait, no it isn't! Ephram hated math, he was great at it, one of the best in his school, but he hated it none the less. Don't teachers give homework to help kids get better at something? Practice makes perfect, right? So why do kids who are _already_ perfect at it have to do homework? Jig was horrible at math; she should be doing this, not him. Well, not really, they had different math classes. He was in Advanced Algebra, and she was just in normal Algebra. They were both supposed to be in Geometry, but he was a year ahead and she was a year behind. Jig moaned in her sleep and rolled over onto her side, facing him. Ephram sighed.

"Best anime couple…" Ephram told her. She sighed and opened her eyes.

"How'd you know I wasn't asleep?"

"I've spent a good amount of the past two weeks watching you sleep, Jig. Now, answer it…"

"Sakura and Syaoran," she replied. He looked surprised.

"They're kids."

"That's why it's cute," she said, "what about you?"

"Spike and Faye-Faye…" he said and she looked surprised.

"They're not even a definite couple."

"Yes they are," Ephram said. Jig rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Okay, well. Weirdest hair…" she said. He thought about it.

"Either, Usagi, or… Trowa."

"What about Chichiri, from FY?" Jig asked him. Ephram took it into account.

"That's a good one. What about Seiji, from Yoroiden Samurai Troopers?"

"I like his hair, how it flares up in the back. What about Soi, from FY?"

"Or Sally's curls…"

"Ayeka's hair is weird."

"Okay, so that was a hard question. Best clothes."

"Mikage Aya," Jig said. Ephram looked surprised.

"Ayashi no Ceres?"

"Yea."

"Well, okay, I guess. Best _male_ clothes."

"Fujiyama Aya," Jig said and laughed slightly.

"Really?"

"No, not really. Um… Hotohori."

"So in other words, you really like Yu Watase's taste in clothes?"

"Yup!" she said and smiled. Ephram smiled too.

"I like the fact that she uses so much Japanese and Chinese folklore in her stories."

"Really?"

"Oh yea! The fours gods in FY-"

"Byakko, Genbu, Suzaku, Seiiryu."

"Yea, them. It's actual folklore. It was even in an episode of Cowboy Bebop, remember?"

"Yea, now that you mention it. But Ayashi no Ceres?"

"The legend about the celestial maiden, actual story. It's been in several different countries, but still actual Japanese legend. I think there's even a lake named after it," Ephram told her to her surprise. 

"Really?"

"Maybe. Anyway, how are you feeling?"

"Still tired. You?"

"Sick and tired, of math," he said lifting his book so she could see it. She nodded in complete understanding. 

"Where's Desi?" she asked him.

"Following a lead," he replied.

"Sounds intriguing."

"There's talk of foul play in recasting for Annabel Everwood in the Senior play."

"I thought they had that settled."

"They did, but she's been recast, so of course, talk happens."

"And Desi listens."

"She's good at it. Oh, Amy got a new dance partner, so don't worry about that."

"Yea, she told me. Jake Gordon. Amy's a lucky girl. Aussie guys are hot. Anyway, I was wondering, uh, have you gotten any word from Orrie?" Jig asked him. Ephram sighed and removed his schoolbooks from his lap. He leaned forward with a look on his face like he was about to tell her the actual truth.

"Yea, actually I have. He called once he got settled it. His trip was okay, the house they have there is beautiful. And he says his dad is a great guy," Ephram told her. She nodded, smiling.

"Good. I'm glad," she said and noticed the less that pleased look on Ephram's face.

"You do understand why I told him to go, right?" she asked him. He looked at her surprised that she'd even ask the question.

"Yes, of course. He had to know his dad."

"Right. I'm okay with my decision, Ephram, if you were worried. I don't regret it."

"I know. No regrets."

"Well, maybe a _few_," she said smiling. Ephram smiled too.

"Like what?"

"What?"

"What are the regrets of Juliet Green?" he asked her. She bit her lower lip, wondering whether or not to share certain secrets with him. Finally their great friendship prevailed and she sighed.

"Well, let's see. There's that time I stole that watch."

"You stole?"

"Yea, well, I returned it. Well, I got caught. I was working at a department store at the time and I tried to steal the watch. Security caught me so I returned and paid for the watch, and was fired. That's not exactly on my list of favorite things…"

"Is that all?"

"Well, no. Um, there are things I regret not saying. Do they count?"

"A regret is a regret. Spill it."

"I regret never telling Isaac about Hunter Berman," she said. Ephram looked at her confused so she sighed.

"You might not want to hear this…" she warned him.

"And risk you regretting never telling me?" he said grinning. 

"Well. Okay… I met Hunter last March, this is after Isaac left to do, uh, never mind. Anyway, I was a stable hand at this rich stable just outside of LA. And I was in charge of taking care of this beautiful gray horse named Queenie. She as a delightful animal. Anyway, Queenie was Hunter's horse so we met a lot, talked a lot, and really hit it off. So we started going out. It was really great, neither him nor his family cared that I wasn't wealthy like they were, Hell, I wasn't even middle class. They were great people. Anyway, about a month after we started dating he and I were in his room watching Cowboy Bebop. Oh, it was the episode where Spike falls through the church glass window, the scene with that really great song. Anyway, we started kissing and, well, you know…" Jig said nodded her head. Ephram's eyes widened in surprise.

"Jig… you've had…?" he started. She nodded.

"Yea. Haven't you?" she asked him. He paused, frozen for a few moments.

"Uh, yes! Yes of course I have! Of course!" he said. Jig grinned.

"No you haven't…" she told him. He sighed.

"Okay, I haven't. How'd you tell?" he asked her. She laughed a little.

"Because whenever Desi touches you, you look like you're about to break out into hives," she said laughing. He laughed to, though he didn't find it nearly as funny.

"So you never told your best friend you lost your virginity?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Yea, I regret that. Isaac probably would have liked to have known."

"So what happened to Hunter?" Ephram asked her. Jig bit her lower lip and looked at the ground.

"Well, a month after, _that_, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Within two weeks he was dead," she told him simply. Ephram inhaled slowly and held his breath. 

"Oh my God Jig…" he said standing up. She waved it off.

"No, don't worry. Last year was shit, and now it's over. It's past and done with, it's gone."

"Yea, but, he'll forever be a part of your life, Jig…" Ephram told her. She shrugged. 

"I regret _not telling Isaac _aboutHunter, I don't regret _Hunter_…" she told him, making sure he understood. He nodded, grasping the idea the best he could. She smiled slightly.

"For awhile there, after Mom died. I thought I was a curse. You know; everyone I loved was _dying_. Things have improved since I've gotten to Everwood, though. Now they just _leave me_," she said smiling, but tears were falling down her cheeks. Ephram pulled on the sleeve of his shirt and wrapped it around his thumb. He used it to wipe away Jig's tears.

"It's a new year, Jig. It'll be better…" he reassured her. She nodded, smiling.

"Oh, guess what…" she told him.

"What?" he asked.

"I heard, that instead of Kiyone, they're giving Tenchi a _new_ girl!" Jig told him.

"What!" he yelled, aghast, "they've tried that! It failed!"

"Well they're trying again."

"Well who is she?"

"I don't know, I just heard she's new. I'm thinking she has to be Jurain, right?"

"Yea. And strong. I hope they don't give him a weak little girl _thing_."

"Me too. Maybe she's one of Ayeka's relatives. Like her cousin or something."

"Sister from her mother's side."

"I like that. Why would she come to Earth, though? I think it's about time they had someone come to Earth on _purpose_."

"What universe are they working from, do you know?"

"I read it, but I've forgotten it."

"I hope it's not 'Tenchi Universe.'"

"Why not?"

"That title always made me mad."

"Why?"

"Because Tenchi _means_ 'universe.' It's like saying 'universe universe.' It just made me mad."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm a genius."

"Like you dad."

"Ye- _never say that again_!" Ephram commanded her. Jig laughed.


	51. this thing ain't ending for awhile so re...

Dr. Brown walked into the kitchen and over to the cupboard. He got himself a glass and opened the refrigerator to see what they had to drink. Milk, that was good. He poured himself a glass and looked over to see Delia sitting at the kitchen table. 

"What are you doing?" he asked walking over to her. She looked up at him.

"Homework," she replied. He looked at the book she was working out of. Geography. 

"Good subject. Uh, what happened to you head?" he asked her, noticing the Band-Aid on her forehead.

"Bucky Gates hit me in the head with a dodge ball in gym class," she answered. Dr. Brown frowned. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her.

"It's okay, it didn't really hurt. The teacher cleaned it and everything. It's fine," she reassured him. He nodded, taking her word for it. 

"Well, if you need any help…"

"I know, thanks Dad," she told him. He nodded, and walked out of the room, grabbing a few cookies for his milk, of course. 

Desi sat glued in front of her computer screen. She read over her last few written lines while an odd assortment of songs came from the speakers on either side of her computer. She was getting very involved in this novel of hers. But she was enjoying it. She loved writing the scenes between Kamala and Nino. In the beginning, they'd have to hate each other. Have this sort of merry war where they crack jokes on each other and generally hate each other's guts. But, then, through Desi's plot they would be forced to depend completely on each other for their very lives, and they get used to each other so much, they know what the other will do without any warning. Then, at the very, very, very, very end, in one brief, quick, incredible moment, they realize they love each other and kiss. Desi had that scene already played out in her mind, she just had to get to it. It was this great scene, where the two of them snuck into the Eiffel Tower after nightfall, and they're standing at the very top looking up at the stars, and they kiss. Oh, beautiful! Desi threw herself into a fit of teenage girl giggles just thinking about it. It wasn't a normal romance. It wasn't like how a person usually finds love. But that's what made it great. There was nothing normal about it. If people wanted to experience real things, they'd go outside and talk to an actual person. But if they did that, her book would never sell. Desi cracked her knuckles and continued typing. 

This was going to be a great book. She'd become a world famous novelist. It'd be made into a movie, and she could meet all of the big stars that would be in it. She'd get to go to the movie premiere, and be adored by everyone. Her name would mean 'money' in the book and movie industries. Everyone would love her. She'd have more friends then she could remember. Maybe, after a few years, she'd write her autobiography. She'd dedicate it to Christopher, of course. Or maybe Ephram. Hm… How would Ephram handle her fame? He didn't seem to handle his father's pretty well… No, she'd make sure she made time for him. He'd come first, her public second. They'd understand that.

Desi smiled thinking about Ephram. She had never had a boyfriend before. Actually, it was still kind of weird to say. She had a boyfriend. Weird… Desi let out a yell of surprise as she noticed that every time she was supposed to type 'Nino,' she had typed 'Ephram.' She deleted them and retyped it correctly. Maybe, one of these days, she'd name a character after Ephram. Maybe one for Jig too. One for Amy. Actually, ever since she started this novel, her head has been filling with other ideas. One is about a girl who is told she's Death. Another is about a girl who finds out all of the women in her family are angels, herself included. The other is about a mute woman whose sister is married to the President but purely for politics sake, but the Pres. and her end up falling in love. Another is about eight girls who are transplanted to this world where they're told they must rule. Another is about a woman who has to save God from hate. Then there's one about a knight of the Round Table who was actually a woman. And a redo of the Cupid and Psyche myth, which is like, Desi's favorite love story for some reason. But, obviously, Desi has tons of ideas. Hopefully she'd be able to get to them all. Hopefully, one at a time. Her mind was a run of a thousand ideas, all fighting and shoving and kicking their way into the limelight. Desi would lie awake at night, thinking about scenes. It was some sort of madness, it had to be.

For some reason Ephram woke up early Saturday morning. Well, it really wasn't due to 'some reason,' it was due to the fact that today was Ephram's sixteenth birthday. He got out of bed, rubbed his hair with his hand, and went to the bathroom. Both Delia's and Dr. Brown's doors were closed so Ephram dawdled downstairs. He became slightly unnerved as he walked through the foyer and into the living room. It looked like the entire downstairs had been covered in streamers and balloons, with wrapped gifts every where. He walked into the dining room to find Jig up on a ladder, taping some balloons to the ceiling. He walked up close to her.

"Jig?" he asked. She yelled out in surprise and fell backward off of the ladder. Lucky for her (and Ephram's heart), she fell right into Ephram's arms. Her feet and legs were still supported by the ladder, but he held her torso. She looked up at him grinning.

"Oh, hi Ephram. Happy birthday!" she told him. 

"Jig! What the Hell are you doing on a _ladder_?" he yelled at her. Jig had been out of the hospital for a few days now, but she still needed a cane to walk, her legs being mostly, but not fully, healed. She laughed as she removed her feet from the ladder and stood up, grabbing her cane.

"I was putting up decorations, duh," she told him as the two looked around at the work she had already done.

"You weren't supposed to be up yet. Dr. Brown said you never got up on Saturdays before ten," she said. He shrugged.

"It's my birthday, I got up early. Where is everyone?" he asked her.

"Getting your cake."

"I get a cake too?"

"Of course you get a cake. Half chocolate, half vanilla. They even drew Ranma on it for you. I gave them a picture," she said smiling. Ephram rolled his eyes and sighed.

"An anime birthday cake…"

"Well yea, it's your Sweet Sixteen."

"No. No it's 'sweet' for girls, not boys."

"Strapping Sixteen then," she substituted. He nodded in approval.

"I like that," he told her. She smiled.

"Good. Now, there's something that's supposed to happen when you came downstairs, something I was supposed to do. Oh! Oh yea! _Surprise_!" she yelled, raising her arms in the air. He lowered her arms with his hands.

"Yea, thanks," he said. Her smile turned from one really cheesy one, to one that was really quite sweet.

"Though, seriously Ephram, happy birthday," she told him. He smiled.

"Thanks," he said as the front door opened and a rush of people walked in.

"Oh hey! Quiet down everyone, let's not wake him," Dr. Brown said in the lead, carrying the cake.

"Uh, Doc," Jig said as she and Ephram walked into the living room. The entourage came to a halt, seeing Ephram there.

"Aw damn…" Dr. Brown said.

"Jig!" Desi yelled at her.

"I was quiet! I swear!" Jig leapt to her own defense. Delia set down what she was carrying and walked over to them. She hugged Ephram.

"Happy birthday," she told him. He smiled.

"Thanks," he replied. Desi copied Delia's actions, only Desi kissed him briefly on the lips.

"Happy Sweet Sixteen, Ephram," Desi told him. Jig tapped her shoulder.

" 'Strapping Sixteen,' " Jig corrected her. Desi smiled and turned back to Ephram.

"Yes, of course," she said smiling. By now Dr. Brown had placed the cake down in the kitchen and returned. He walked over to his son and shook Ephram's hand.

"So much for a surprise party, huh? Happy birthday Ephram," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram nodded.

"Thanks Dad," Ephram said. 

"For the record, he did look very surprised when I first saw him," Jig said. Ephram smirked but neither of them explained.

"Come on, let's open your presents!" Delia said pulling her sixteen-year-old brother to the couch.

Dr. Brown and Star were in the kitchen as Ephram opened all of his gifts. The brother and sister were cutting the sheet cake into a series of squares. Oddly, both of them cut exactly the same sized pieces. Every other cut or so they'd get frosting on their hands, and they both cleaned it off exactly the same way, they licked it off. Dr. Brown and Star never really resembled siblings while they were speaking, but in silence, the relationship was impossible to miss. They had so many of the same gestures, so many of the same facial expressions. They _were_ brother and sister. 

"You know, Andy, I couldn't help but notice that Waltz girl was using a cane. Has she always used that?" Star asked him, knowing every well the answer already. 

"Who Jig? Well, no, actually. She's recovering from an illness that weakened her leg muscles."

"Oh, really? When did she get sick?"

"A little before Christmas, I think."

"Now was that _before_, or _after_ Orrie left?" Star asked, getting to the information she really wanted. Dr. Brown watched his words, knowing his sister's games.

"Before, I think."

"So, I guess she didn't tell Orrie about it, then?"

"He was already gone by the time she woke up," he said, making sure he didn't say that Orrie not knowing had been Ephram's call.

"Ah…" she said in acknowledgment, nodding her head. The two fell silent for a few more moments.

"So, you're leaving today?" Dr. Brown asked her.

"Yea, yea. At five. We're driving to Denver, and then flying to Buffalo. Our things have already been sent, the house has been sold," she answered. He nodded his head.

"Things won't be the same without you," Dr. Brown told her. What? It was true!

"Well _duh_," Star replied.


	52. my favorite joke is in this one

"You gotta let me borrow this shirt some day, Ephram," Jig said looking at a Slayers T-shirt Ephram had been given. A few hours had passed and everyone had gone home, save Desi and Jig. Ephram sighed.

"Jig, _you_ gave me that shirt!" he told her. She smiled.

"I know, so can I borrow it?" she asked him. Ephram rolled his eyes.

"Fine, but just don't stretch it out," he warned her.

"I couldn't if I wanted to," she said. Desi smiled.

"Did you like your gifts Ephram?" Desi asked him. He nodded.

"The ones I'll actually get to _keep_," he said. Jig stuck her tongue out at him. Desi laughed.

"You two become such children sometimes," Desi told them.

"No we don't," they said in unison. Desi laughed.

"You know, you can't say that stuff to Ephram anymore. He's 16 now," Jig told her.

"Oh yea, I'm dating an older man!" Desi said and the two girls laughed. 

"Okay, okay, leave the birthday boy alone. Do any of you want some more cake?" Dr. Brown asked walking into the living room. The three of them replied in the negative. Dr. Brown stood in the middle of the living room and looked around him.

"Well this is a mess," he said.

"Well, I'd help you Dad, but it's my birthday," Ephram told him.

"And I'd help, really, but I was only assigned the decorations," Jig said. Desi sighed.

"_I'll_ help you, Dr. Brown, seeing as how I'm the only other decent human being here," Desi said getting off of the couch.

"A hand for the decent human beings!" Ephram said and he and Jig started clapping. Desi grinned and kicked Ephram in the shin slightly. 

"Thanks for helping," Dr. Brown told her. Desi waved it off.

"No problem."

Unusually, immediately after Star and Cory left, the little bit of snow melted and the streets and roof tops dried. Ephram lay on the roof above his front porch and Jig lay next to him. Desi had another lead to follow. Evidently, the girl in the Senior play had been recast due to possible pregnancy. _Big_ news. It was late at night now and Ephram and Jig lay there silently looking up at the stars. Neither of them had ever seen so many stars before, both of them growing up in big cities where stars were rare. This, this was me_s_merizing. When push came to shove, neither of them minded moving to Everwood. The reasons behind their moving were what they minded. But if the causes had been different, moving to Everwood would have been perfect. They were both happy, something for a time they had both given up on. Jig sighed.

"Where do you think we'll be in twenty years?" she asked him. Ephram sighed.

"Oh I don't know."

"I bet you'll be here, a doctor just like your dad," Jig said. Ephram laughed at the pure absurdity of the idea.

"Just what the world needs, another Dr. Brown," he said. Jig nodded.

"The more the better."

"What? More men who are always too busy for their family? I never want to be like that…" Ephram said. 

"I'll make you a deal, then. You and I will still be friends, in twenty years, right?"

"Right."

"Right. So, I, as you best friend now and probably forever, promise that if I ever think you're neglecting your wife and children, will smack you in the back of your head and call you a 'damn moron,'" Jig promised him. Ephram glanced at her.

"Thanks…" he said with little enthusiasm. She smiled.

"Of course if you become a gynecologist your wife won't _let_ you work late," Jig said and Ephram laughed. 

"You ever wonder why the word 'gynecologist' begins with the sound 'guy?'" Ephram asked her. Jig broke out into laughter.

"I can't say that I have!" she said.

"That's how weird I am. Things like that _actually_ occur to me!" Ephram told her. 

"Well I wouldn't like you if you were _normal_ Ephram," Jig told him. He nodded.

"Where do you think you'll be in twenty years Jig?" he asked her. Jig sighed. 

"Oh I don't know…"

"I'm estimating that you marry Isaac and the two of you tour the globe together," Ephram said and Jig laughed.

"Isaac? No, he's a sweet guy but he's just, too much to handle now," Jig explained.

"Well we're not talking now, we're talking twenty years from now," Ephram reminded her.

"Isaac gets progressively harder to handle as time goes by," she informed him.

"Oh," he said nodding. Jig smiled.

"So what are you and Desi going to name your children?" Jig asked him.

"Jig! We're only fifteen!" he told her.

"Uh! Uh! _Sixteen_! You're _sixteen_ now lover boy!" Jig reminded him. He nodded.

"Okay, you got me."

"You can drive now, Ephram…" she reminded him.

"I can get my permit."

"Yea well, this is like a milestone if a kid's life though, right? You're _sixteen_. Freaky."

"You'll be sixteen this year too."

"Yea, but it's one thing being sixteen yourself, it's another having _friends_ who are sixteen."

"You're weird, Jig."

"Well you wouldn't be my friend if I was normal," she said with a grin. Ephram scoffed. 

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Have every single thing you say lead back to something you said earlier. You're _always_ doing that!" he replied. Jig shrugged.

"It just seems to be the way the world works."

"_Your_ world maybe," Ephram said gazing again at the stars. Jig propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at Ephram, smiling.

"You'll make a great father, Ephram. Don't worry about it," Jig reassured him. Ephram looked up at her surprised, but not unpleasantly so. Jig sighed.

"And I'm sure Desi will make a great wife and mother as well," she said. Ephram let out a slight chuckle.

"You really want me to marry Desi, don't you?"

"Don't _you_?"

"It's a little early for me. Besides, no one finds the person they're supposed to marry in high school."

"Oh I'm sure _some_ people do," Jig said. Ephram nodded, figuring she was probably right about that. 

"Well I'm not one of them," he said. Jig smirked.

"We'll talk about that again in twenty years," she said.

Dr. Brown said alone in the kitchen, casually eating a piece of vanilla cake. He let out a long sigh and took a sip from a glass of wine. He knew that Ephram's birthday was Ephram's big day, but Dr. Brown and Julia always celebrated it by themselves too. Today was the sixteenth anniversary of the day Dr. Brown and Julia became parents. Dr. Brown had been a father now for _sixteen years_. Well, on paper anyway. If you had measured Dr. Brown to what a father _should_ be, he knew he would always come up short. But he was trying. Dr. Brown vowed that by the seventeenth anniversary of his parenthood he would be considered a father across the board. 

"Okay, I have one. A pirate walks into a bar," Jig started. The two were still up on the porch roof and Ephram sighed in anticipation of what this joke might consist of. Jig slapped him.

"No, listen. A pirate walks into a bar, and the bartender says 'hey, do you know you have a steering wheel in your pants?' and the pirate goes, 'yar, I know, it's driving me nuts!'" Jig said and Ephram laughed slightly, shaking his head. 

"That was horrible Jig."

"Wasn't it though?" Jig asked laughing.

"Okay, okay here. Jig, I have a question. True or false? All's fair in love and war," he asked her. Jig thought about it.

"False," she ended up replying. Ephram looked at her surprised.

"Really?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Nothing's fair in war," she replied grinning. Ephram smiled and shook his head.

"Right of course not."

"Okay, now my turn. Ephram. How many roads, must a man walk down, before he's considered a man?" she asked him. He thought about it for a few moments. 

"As many as it takes for him to give up and ask for directions," Ephram replied and Jig broke out into laughter, leaning on Ephram's shoulder for support.

"Okay! Okay! You win! Making fun of your own gender! You win!" she told him. He nodded.

"I'd win anyway, it's my birthday," he told her, grinning. She glanced at her watch.

"Oh, no way man. It's past midnight, not your birthday anymore," she told him. He looked at her watch like he didn't believe her completely. He then looked up at her.

"So I guess you're sleeping over…" he said. She smiled.

"I guess so!" 

Delia sat at the kitchen table early Sunday morning. She was trying to finish a drawing for art class, but there was a rhythmic sound coming from the room next to the kitchen. Eventually she sighed and walked out of the kitchen and into the room. She walked over to the couch where Jig lay asleep, snoring. 

"Jig," Delia said. Jig continued sleeping. Delia placed her hands on Jig's arm and started shaking her.

"Jig!" Delia yelled again. Ephram walked into the kitchen and stopped.

"What's that sound?" he asked looking over at Delia. Delia sighed and Jig continued snoring. 

"It's Jig…" Delia told him. Ephram walked over to her and laughed seeing Jig. 

"I've never heard that sound before," Ephram asked her, Delia smiled. Dr. Brown walked into the kitchen and stopped, just as his son had.

"Is somebody snow blowing?" he asked and Delia and Ephram started laughing.


	53. to think i once marveled at 70000 words

Dr. Brown walked into Mama Joy's to find a baby carrier on the counter. Young Meredith Feeny sat in it as Nina passed out plates and checks. Dr. Brown walked over to the counter and sat next to a woman who was already there. Nina walked over to him, a smile on her face.

"Hey Andy, what can I get for you?" Nina asked him, taking out her notepad. Andy sighed.

"Egg salad sandwich and coffee," he said. She wrote it down and gave it to the cook. The brunette sitting next to Dr. Brown looked at Meredith.

"You know who she looks like Nina…" the woman said. Nina looked at Meredith and then to the woman.

"Who?" she asked.

"Niki…" the woman told her. Nina looked at the baby again, this time in a different light. Surprised she turned back to the woman.

"You're right…" Nina told her surprised. 

"Who's Niki?" Dr. Brown asked Nina.

"My little sister. She's going to school up in Denver," Nina explained. Dr. Brown smiled.

"You have a sister?" he asked her curious. Nina nodded.

"You thought you were the only one?" she asked him. He chuckled.

"Is yours like Star?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"Niki's only twenty. She's studying astronomy. She's going to be great some day," Nina told him, smiling.

"Well, I gotta go, see ya Nina," the woman next to Dr. Brown said getting up and placing some money of the counter.

"Bye Penny," Nina said collecting the money and the dish. Dr. Brown looked at the baby who was numbing on a round piece of plastic.

"So how's it going?" Dr. Brown asked. Nina sighed.

"It's still kind of weird, having a new baby around the house. I forgot how much work they are," Nina said placing his food in front of him.

"Any regrets?" he asked her. She shook her head, smiling.

"No," she reassured him. He nodded.

"Good. You should probably bring her by to see me some time this week, just for a look," he suggested. She nodded.

"Sure, okay. I'll make an appointment," she said.

Ephram sat in his study hall with his feet up on the desk and his head back with eyes closed. He had his earphones wrapped around his head and bobbed his head with the music. He had burned himself a new CD; it was about thirteen songs from Weiß Kruez. He knew it was pretty much a chick anime, but he liked a lot of the songs. There was no harm in that. Except, of course, whenever he told Jig about it and she got that kind of weird look in her eyes and freakish smile on her face. Girls… Ephram felt something poke him in the arm so he turned around and took off his headphones. Wendell was leaning over toward Ephram, obviously with something to say. 

"Dude, what were the names of Anastasia's sisters?" Wendell asked him.

"What?" Ephram asked him, confused.

"You know, missing Russian chick-"

"Yea, I know. Why do you need her sisters' names?" 

"I'm doing a report."

"On Anastasia?"

"No, on her dad. Nicholas," Wendell explained. Ephram sighed.

"Olga, Tatiana, and Marie," Ephram told him. Wendell smiled.

"Thanks man. Hey, do you happen to know what years they were born?" Wendell asked. Ephram sighed, again.

"They were born in 1895, 1897, and 1899 respectively. Olga had chestnut-brown hair and blue eyes. She was a little shy but clever. She was supposed to make her official debut with Tatiana but that was canceled by WW1 and later the revolution. Tatiana had auburn hair and gray eyes. She was the closest to their mother and the most graceful. She was anxious to take her place in the world. Marie had light brown hair and big blue eyes. She was a little flirtatious and very warm, she loved to paint. Anything else?" Ephram asked him. Wendell fell silent for a few moments, a feat in itself.

"Dude, man, you _scare_ me when you do stuff like that," Wendell told him. Ephram turned back around and placed his headphones over his ears.

"Not nearly as much as I scare _myself_." 

Ephram walked down the school hallway when Desi joined him. Immediately she began talking to him about the whole recasting ordeal. Ephram had no idea so much went into reporting. It was a school newspaper too, but Desi was completely enveloped in it.

"So, what do you think?" she asked him when she had finished. He sighed.

"I'd rather not think about anything now, actually."

"What do you mean?" she asked him out of worry and confusion. Actually, she was worried because she was confused. 

"I dunno. I just, I'm _really_ smart, Desi," Ephram told her. She suppressed a grin.

"Well you certainly aren't modest," she said. He shook his head.

"No, no, you don't get it. I don't _want_ to be smart. I want to struggle along just like everyone else. I don't want to just _get_ things. I want to have to _think_ about it and _try_. I want to be in just Algebra, I want to fail a class, or a _test_ even!"

"You don't want to be like your dad," she simplified. Ephram fell silent, looking at her. He sighed.

"I just want to do something where I don't have to think about anything," he told her. She tilted her head from side, something she occasionally did when she thought. 

"Okay…" she said and slammed him against the locker. She grabbed his shirt collar and started kissing him. Jig walked over to them, annoyed.

"Oh come on guys! It's _my_ locker! Could you just-? Just move to the right a little! Out of all the lockers you had to-! Thanks!" she said as Ephram and Desi slid down a few lockers. With an irritated sigh Jig opened her locker and exchanged a few books. She than closed her locker and looked over at the kissing couple. She sighed and shook her head.

"You're going to be late for class you know!" she told them. Neither of them answered her, or even looked at her, actually. 

"Do you even care?" she asked. The two continued kissing. She sighed and looked away.

"No, no you don't. See you guys later, unless you swallow each other," she said walking away, shaking her head.

Delia was over at Murasaki's house and the two were up in Murasaki's room dancing to music. Actually, they were jumping up and down on Murasaki's bed, after moving all of her plush toys to the floor. The girls were laughing and trying to sing along with some of the words. Delia was wearing her Yokohama BayStars baseball cap and Murasaki wore the hand-braided bracelet Delia had given her. Neither wore the gifts out of courtesy, they wore them because they were gifts from their friend. They wore them because they were special to them, not because the other girl wanted to see them worn. Suddenly Murasaki's door opened wider than it had been and a little white ball of fluff ran into the room, ran around the room, and ran back out of the room. Delia and Murasaki stopped jumping up and down and Delia looked at Murasaki, kind of scared.

"What was that?" Delia asked her. Murasaki smiled.

"Didn't I tell you? We got a puppy! His name is Yuukou; it means 'companionship.' Let's go see if we can catch him. He likes to run," Murasaki said laughing slightly, letting it show 'likes' had been an understatement. Delia nodded smiling. They got off of Murasaki's bed and left the room after Murasaki turned the music off.

It had taken them awhile to catch the white fluffy dog but once they did Yuukou was more than pleased to play with them. He jumped up on Delia in futile attempts to lick her face. Murasaki would yell at him and tell him not to jump, but the puppy wouldn't listen to her, so Murasaki would have to pull him off of Delia. Then, of course, Yuukou would start licking Murasaki's face. His little knob of a tail moved quickly back and forth as he chased the ball Delia and Murasaki were throwing back and forth to each to each other, laughing at the small animal's fascination with the sphere.

"Why do they make dog toys in such bright colors if dogs are color blind?" Delia asked Murasaki as they threw the ball back and forth, making the poor dog dizzy.

"Dogs are color blind?" she asked, surprised. Delia nodded. Murasaki shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe so the owners can find them easier," she suggested. Delia nodded.

"Maybe. But why do some toys squeak?"

"Well, dogs attack toys because they used to attack animals, for hunting. Usually when they wrapped their teeth around an animal, it makes a noise. Maybe a squeak is just more natural for them," Murasaki said. Delia frowned.

"I don't think I like that idea."

"I don't either, but it's all I got," Murasaki said. The two girls laughed slightly. 

Since Jig was no longer a dancer, and the sets were already painted, Brenda Baxworth enlisted her as the only other thing they needed. A cellist. So wile Amy was waltzing and Desi hunting down a fact, Ephram and Jig spent their afternoons in the music room practicing with about six other musicians. They would play a bit, someone would mess up, and Ms. Baxworth would yell at them. If they did well she would applaud, but, characteristically, she would say 'this is the audience applauding, I'm disappointed.' Where the kids would sigh but generally be unaffected by the comment. 

After rehearsal Ephram and Jig were walking to Ephram's house accompanied by Ein who had been waiting for Jig. Ein climbed up onto her shoulder, the one farthest from Ephram.

"So, have you ever played in front of anyone before, like this?" Ephram asked her.

"The cello or at all?" she asked to clarify.

"At all."

"Yes, a few times."

"The cello?"

"Nope," she said and they glanced at each other.

"I haven't played in front of an audience since…" Ephram said but stopped himself. Jig frowned worriedly.

"Well at least we'll get a good review, Desi wouldn't dare give her boyfriend a bad review."

"I wouldn't be too sure. Desi takes her reporting seriously. Boyfriend or no boyfriend, if we suck, she'll write it," he told her. She grinned.

"It must be great to have ambition like that," she said. Ephram concurred. 

"I admire her sometimes," Ephram admitted. Jig smiled. 

"Just don't tell her that. It'll go to her head," Jig warned him. He chuckled slightly.

"Yea no kidding."


	54. wow, 100,000 words I'm gettin' a cookie!

Dr. Brown was in his office when Edna knocked and opened the door without waiting for a reply. He looked up as she stuck her head in.

"Nina and Meredith are here, and they don't look happy…" Edna warned him. He nodded.

"Thanks Edna, send them in," he told her. She nodded and her head disappeared. The door soon reopened and Nina walked in, carrying Meredith in a baby carrier. Edna was right, Nina did not look happy. Meredith looked joyful, though. Nina carefully set the baby down on the chair and walked over to Dr. Brown, placing a picture very close to his face. He pulled it away from him so he could see it better. It was of a young girl, maybe early twenties, with straight black hair and a wide smile with red lips.

"Nina, who is this?" Dr. Brown asked her. 

"It's Niki! My sister!" Nina told him. Dr. Brown tilted his head, seeing a common trait in the eyes. 

"The one that woman said looked like Meredith?" Dr. Brown asked her. Nina placed the picture back in her coat pocket and nodded.

"Yea, and, I think Penny was right! I can kind of see Niki in her! In the eyes, and her nose. She looks _a lot_ like Niki!" Nina told him, walking over and picking the leaking child into her arms. Meredith cooed softly. Dr. Brown sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Have you talked to Niki about this?" Dr. Brown asked her. Nina sighed and sat down, now calmed.

"No," she confessed, "I can't accuse my little sister of abandoning her child."

"Okay then, just start talking to her about Meredith, see how she reacts. If you want, I can try to get her medical records, see if she's given birth lately."

"You can do that?"

"Sure. I was famous once. Now, would you know of any pseudonyms your sister might use?" Dr. Brown asked her, getting out a pen and paper. Nina smiled slightly and laughed a little. Dr. Brown didn't see what she thought was so funny.

For some odd reason Delia got home first that day. She found the key stuck to the mail slot flap and let herself in. She picked up the mail as she returned the key, and started flipping through it. Most of it was for her dad. Stuff she had no idea about, and really didn't want to know at this point. On one envelope she noticed a stamp of the Statue of Liberty and a New York postmark. Her eyes than went to the address of the receiver. It was for her. Excitedly she looked at the return address.

'Mr. & Mrs. Adolfo Izquierdo'

Smiley widely Delia tore the envelope open and held the letter in her hand. The familiar scent that had attached itself to the paper from New York City reached her and she realized how much she had missed it. She read down the mostly legible handwriting, her smile widening as she did so. And the end of the letter were the words:

'Your amiga, Hasina'

Delia carefully set the letter down and started jumping around the room; glad no one else was home. In two weeks, her two best friends in the world would get to meet. 

Ephram lay on his bed with his eyes closed but not asleep. In fact, his mind was racing in so many circles he doubted if he could sleep if he wanted to. He had a problem plaguing him that no one would understand. It was a problem he couldn't even say because it would come out so, egotistically. He had finally realized that he didn't see the world like regular people did. It's, it's hard to explain. Most people, see what they want to. Whether they know it or not, people, for the most part, are blissfully ignorant. But Ephram, he saw _everything_. Sure he saw the softly falling snow, and the warm look in a puppy's face, but he also saw the twelve year old girl working in one of Disney's sweatshops. He saw the men dressed in bright orange that go out to murder animals for _fun_. He saw the impending apocalypse caused by political cupidity for oil. Oh, but that was a different thing all together. 

Ephram was sick of knowing about all of the crap in the world while others walked happily through it. That's probably why he became friends with Jig. She experienced all of the crap first hand. Not that he knew that when he first met her. Her mother was murdered by a bigot. She grew up in near poverty. She knew the fickleness of the snobby rich. Jig probably gave him hope. She knew all of the things he knew, but found the strength to smile anyway. He had actually asked her once, how she was able to smile every day. She replied 'I think in terms of lemonade.' She made him smile, her and Desi did. With Jig it was the amused kind of smile, but with Desi it was the 'there's still hope,' kind of smile. Jig gave Ephram hope that he could survive knowing the world was crap, but Desi gave him hope that maybe, just maybe, he was wrong. 

Not that Desi has had a wonderful life herself! But everything Desi experienced, shooting, politics, it didn't really compare to what Jig went through. While Desi had to live through hearing about her brother getting shot, Jig walked the streets every day seeing her friends and classmates getting gunned down, even as a toddler. And politics? Jig never saw politics; she never saw decisions getting made, even if they were getting made for the wrong reasons. As for Amy, well, Amy seemed to be one of those blissfully ignorant people who, through contact with one who isn't ignorant, is on their way to seeing all of the crap. But that would make Amy sad, wouldn't it? Ephram wasn't sure if he wanted that.

There was a knock on Ephram's door so he yelled a general 'go away.' His mind was already too excited to handle another person in the room. He wasn't even listening to his music.

"Jig's on the phone!" Delia yelled through his door.

"Tell her I'm not here!" he yelled back. There came a pause from Delia.

"Okay…" she said, obviously worried. Ephram sighed and rolled over onto his side, facing away from the door. He didn't want to talk to anybody. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts and his mind. Actually, that seemed like too much company. 

About fifteen minutes later Ephram was still laying on his side, trying to block images and thoughts from his head. He was trying to think about that softly falling snow and the warmness of the puppy's eyes, and not about the eight year old boy missing his pinky finger who sewed Delia's Winnie the Pooh baseball cap. There was another knock on his door and again he allowed no entrance. He heard the door open and close anyway, footsteps entering his room between the two.

"Go away!" he yelled.

"Screw that!" he heard in reply as Jig placed her foot on the small of his back and shoved him off of the bed. He didn't yell but none the less didn't appreciate being shoved to the floor. He got to his feet quickly enough for Jig to take a step back surprised. Her mad expression then took control of her again.

"Leave!" Ephram yelled.

"Ephram what the Hell is wrong with you?" she asked, more a hint of worry in her voice than anger. _He_ was angry.

"Why does something have to be wrong for me to want to be alone? Now go!"

"No Ephram! You've never yelled at me _like this_ before, what's wrong?" she asked him, now fully worried. He had never been mad at her. Ephram sighed.

"I've never yelled at you at _all_…" he corrected her. She took a few steps closer to him, realizing she was getting in.

"Ephram please, what's wrong?" she repeated the question. He looked at her face and sighed again.

"The world is crap, isn't it?" he asked her. She smiled sweetly.

"Yea, yea it is. Is that what's bothering you?" she asked him. He nodded, like a little boy admitting to a crime. 

"Ephram, look," she said pulling him over to his bed and sitting down next to him, "you're right, life is crap. Now, I know it seems like everything everywhere else is messed up, and it is… But if you look at it that way, well, blood will come shooting out of your nose or something, I don't know! You're right, the world sucks, but you need to look at it like I do-"

"Lemonade?" he asked her and she laughed.

"Kinda. I see all of the horrible crap in the world, and I think 'room for improvement.' And I think about places like Everwood, were things aren't crappy."

"And your nose remains blood free."

"Most of the time. Now come on Ephram, you're smart enough to know the world isn't completely unsalvageable," she told him. He sighed.

"I'm _too_ smart…" he told her, preparing himself for her reaction. Jig nodded surprisingly.

"Yea I know. Hey, you wanna know something scary?"

"I guess so."

"As much as you would like it, as much as _I_ would like it, I'm _not_ the person who's going to help you deal with this," she told him, smiling sympathetically. He turned to her.

"So who is, Desi?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"Nope, not Desi. The only person who can help you here, is someone who at one point of his life, realized he was a little above everyone else."

"If you say who I think you're going to say, I'm going to hit you."

"No you won't, considering my _reflexes_."

"Yea, you're probably right…" he admitted. Jig smiled and bumped his shoulder with hers. 

"You gotta talk with him, Ephram. He's the only one who can help you. I bet my shirt on it!" she told him. He nodded before noticing something.

"That's my Slayer's shirt!"

"Oh my, look at the time!" Jig said without looking at her watch. She stood up and quickly ran out of the room. Ephram let out a sigh and lay back on his bed. He wondered if that little girl who spent her entire life sewing Mickey Mouse onto jackets ever thought 'room for improvement.' She probably didn't know what lemonade was. 

"Yes, alright, thank you," Dr. Brown said as he hung up the phone. He let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair. He picked up the picture of Niki Williams and looked at it. She was smiling with a youthful joy that only seemed possible for people who had never known pain or sorrow. For people that grew up with love, and trust, and hope. No wonder Nina was upset at the idea this abandoned child she was caring for was Niki's. 'Niki wasn't raised like that.' It seems that six months ago Niki Williams checked into a hospital under the literary name 'Hester Hawthorne,' where she had given birth to a baby girl. Dr. Brown never knew it would be so hard to tell a person they had a niece. 


	55. who would you guys pick to play Jig and ...

Desi was in her room late at night, her stereo on full blast. It was about one in the morning but for some reason she couldn't sleep, so she had turned on her music and was now dancing around her room in her short white nightgown. She flared her arms around, and moved her shoulders and head from side to side, making her dark red curls bounce around her face. The song was one of Ephram's songs, in Japanese. She couldn't understand any of the words, but, she soon found, that didn't matter. The song was one of her favorites, even if she had no idea what was being said. Ephram had given her a lot of nice songs. He knew just the kinds of music she liked. He liked all kinds. Classical, J-Pop, Reggae, Rap, Punk, Ephram was a true lover of music. Jig was too, so it was probably a musician thing. Hey, Desi was dating a musician! It's a good thing she didn't tell her parents that. Even if she explained he played the piano, they wouldn't think it was funny. Oh, wait a minute! What was Desi thinking? They wouldn't listen to her anyway. When she had Ephram over for dinner to meet them, her father left to a meeting and her mom was on her cell phone, _at the table_. To heads of state Desi's parents oozed courtesy, but for Desi, they just oozed. Christopher would always mimic them, making Desi think it was funny the way their parents had ignored them. Now Christopher was dead, and it wasn't funny anymore. 

Desi found her hands shaking so she rubbed them together, hoping whatever made them shake would leave. But then she got a chill through her entire body. She undressed and got into her shower. She turned just the hot water on and enjoyed the near scolding shower. Hot showers always made the pain go away. When she felt refreshed enough she changed back into her nightgown and wrapped her hair in a towel. She walked in front of her mirror and thought how much she looked like those African women with their hair wrapped up. Though their head ornaments probably weren't made out of terrycloth. Desi hit the air in front of her like a drum and continued dancing around her room, water dripping off of her legs and making foot prints on her carpet. She swayed her hips as if moving to the beat of her 'air drum.' Sometimes Desi felt like a big disappointment. She was half Black, but her heritage was not African, it was French. Neither she nor her father considered either of them having any ties to Africa. Desi was glad there were no Kwanza celebrating people in Everwood. What would they think of her? Maybe next year she should do something about the history of Kwanza for the school newspaper, or even the _Pinecone_. 

She still couldn't sleep so she got out her favorite movie. The Mighty Ducks. The first person who laughs at her, dies. She just likes the movie. She had no idea why, she just did. She liked the second one too, with the chick goalie. That movie made Desi want to be a hockey player for some time. That's another thing she was glad she never told her parents about. That would _not_ have gone well. The _really_ scary part of it is, though, she wasn't bad. Back when she cared, Desi was undeniably the best hockey player in her class. Offense, defense, goalie, it didn't matter, Desi was the king, er, queen. And she was always a captain too, meaning she always got to chose her team. She never lost a game. Actually, not that she would ever want anyone knowing this now, but in the trophy case, way down at the bottom tucked behind the school's high golfing scores, was a tiny trophy of hers, signifying her 25-0 hockey game record in the third grade. But, luckily, that was at her _old_ school, so Ephram nor Jig would ever see it. She should write a book about hockey players. Oh. A murder mystery. "The Striking Circle." Oh! She liked it!

Delia had everything set up. Her friend since Pre-K, Hasina Izquierdo was coming next Saturday, and her, Delia, and Murasaki could spend the entire day together. Delia and Murasaki could show Hasina around Everwood. Hasina had lived directly downstairs from the Brown's in New York for as long as either Delia or Hasina could remember. Hasina's parents were both immigrants, her father from Mexico and her mother from Africa. Hasina was an African name, it meant 'heaven,' Delia thought. She wasn't sure. 

Anyway, Delia couldn't wait. She missed Hasina so much. They knew everything about each other, they knew each other's secrets. Hasina gave the eulogy when Delia's hamster Pringles died. Delia sewed the arm back on Hasina's favorite doll whenever it fell off, which it did, a few times. They grew up like sisters; they were inseparable at school. If they weren't in the same class they would kick and scream until one set of parents would make them be. Hasina was the champion crier. She could do it on cue like nothing. One moment she'd be happy and laughing, the next, you'd think someone had cut off her hand. It was like watching art. Hasina had taught Delia a lot of things. Most of which Delia found useful at some point. Some suddenly became useful once Hasina was out of the main picture. Delia missed her. Hasina had so many things Murasaki didn't, she could do so many things Murasaki couldn't. But, the reverse was true as well. Delia missed Hasina, but she wouldn't give up her friendship with Murasaki for anything. Hasina had been Delia's friend because it was convenient, them living so closely, but Murasaki? Murasaki became Delia's friend because Delia needed one. And that was worth a lot. 

Dr. Brown was sitting at the kitchen table in the near dark. As far as he knew, Ephram and Delia were upstairs. He sat at the table casually eating from a bowl of cereal. Needless to say, his attempt at cooking that night had been, a little less than successful. The cereal was good though. He could always make a mean bowl of cereal. As long as it wasn't oatmeal. Dr. Brown and oatmeal didn't get along very well, or, at all. His head turned as he saw his son approach him slowly. For the past few months Ephram had been generally happy, and when he wasn't, Dr. Brown knew why. But the less than cheerful expression Ephram now bore was of a man who had worn it in his youth, Dr. Brown didn't know the cause of, and if he did, he didn't like it.

"Hi, Dad," Ephram said cautiously.

"Hi, Ephram," Dr. Brown replied. Ephram sighed and quickly walked to the table and sat down next to his father.

"Look, I have this problem and I've been told you might be able to help me with it," Ephram blurted.

"You finally realized you're a genius and you're worried about how it makes you see the world," Dr. Brown said, placing another spoonful of cereal into his mouth. Ephram stared at him dumbfounded for a few moments until Dr. Brown finally explained.

"Jig told me," he said, still crunching cereal in his teeth. Ephram sighed and shook his head.

"Of course she did…"

"You know, she's really worried about you. Are you sure you made the right choice?" Dr. Brown asked him. Ephram looked up at him, confused.

"What choice?"

"Between Desi and Jig, are you sure you picked the right one?" Dr. Brown elaborated. Ephram sighed again.

"I didn't chose, my heart did," Ephram told him. Dr. Brown simply nodded.

"If I had said stuff like that at your age, I wouldn't have taken _Betty Spencer_ to the prom," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram narrowed his eyebrows but decided it best to leave his questions unasked.

"So do you know what I'm going through or don't you?" Ephram asked, getting tired and wanting answers. 

"Of course I do. You see Ephram, when I was your age, I had a breakdown too," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram frowned.

"I'm _not_ having a breakdown," Ephram corrected him.

"Sure you are. You yelled at Jig, you've never yelled at Jig. You willingly came to talk to me, you've never willingly talked to me. You're having a breakdown, Ephram. But that's okay, it's normal for the people in our family to have breakdowns at your age."

"Thank you genetics!"

"Yes, well, don't worry, you'll get past it. Just some words of advice, don't go telling people you're better than them even if you are, don't assume you can do everything just because you're a genius, and never hide yourself from your friends. Jig said you realized the world isn't perfect, right?" 

"Right," Ephram said nodding as well.

"Then, when that starts getting to you, go talk to Desi, or Jig. You have a great girlfriend and a devoted best friend Ephram, don't waste them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some lab results to look at. Good night, don't stay up too early," Dr. Brown said standing up, placing his bowl in the sink, and walking out of the kitchen. Ephram remained where he sat for a few moments, thinking. 

"This is a stupid game…" Bright said staring at the chess board in front of him. Amy sat on the opposite side of the board, looking at her brother as he examined the damage. She held all of his pawns, both knights, and a bishop. He had one of her pawns. 

"You're the one who wanted to learn…" Amy reminded him. He frowned, knowing it was very well true. Things had not being going well for Bright in the world of women lately. Currently he had his eye on Georgianna Prescott. She was the President of the Chess Club but by no means a nerd. She had long, wavy black hair, light brown eyes that changed shades in different lighting, smooth chocolate complexion, and an idea set in her mind that a jock was no match for her. So Bright, being horny, wanted Amy to teach him how to play chess like a master, so he could impress Georgianna. Normally Amy would say no, but he was giving her fifty bucks and there was a new shirt she wanted to buy, plus there was a reader's encyclopedia she had her eye on.

"I'm really beginning to regret this."

"Wanna give up?" Amy asked him. He shook his head.

"No. I have to let Georgianna know she's not smarter than I am."

"Uh, Bright, she kind of _is_," Amy told him. He looked up at her, frowning.

"No she's not…"

"Bright she got 1475 on her PSAT's, what'd you get?" Amy asked him.

"A test doesn't prove anything…" Bright told her. Amy nodded.

"Sure, whatever. Checkmate," Amy said moving her piece. Bright looked at the board, confused.

"What does that mean?" Bright asked her. Amy looked at him quietly for a few moments before sighing.

"I don't think chess is for you, Bright," Amy told him. He shook his head.

"No, I'm going to understand this game if it kills me. Now, what does checkmate mean?"

"It means you lose," she told him. He sighed.

"Okay. How do we reset the board?" he asked her to her surprise.

"You really want to prove to this girl you're smart, don't you?" Amy asked him. He nodded. She sighed.

"Take your black pieces and set them up here like this," Amy said, showing him.


	56. happy 4 month anniversary to me!

Jig laid back and closed her eyes, smiling. She adjusted her sunglasses and felt the brilliant sun warm her from head to toes. Slowly she ran her fingers through the sand under her. She was on a beautiful sandy beach wearing her favorite turquoise bikini and really enjoying it. She loved the feeling of the sun warming her bare skin, and listening to the sound of the waves rolling onto the beach a few feet away from her. She couldn't remember when she last felt so peaceful. 

"_Ju-liet_," she heard whispered from far away. A little confused and worried she sat up and lifted up her sunglasses. She looked around the empty beach. She saw nothing but sand and waves.

"_Ju-liet_," she heard the same male voice say, the sound seemingly riding on the wind. She stood up and walked out of the safety of her umbrella. She saw nothing so she ran down to the water's edge, just as the current wave reached her toes.

"_Juliet dear, why are you so far away_?" the voice called again.

"What?" Jig yelled, "who are you?"

"_Why don't you know me, my dear Juliet_?" the male voice said.

"Where are you!" she yelled, beginning to panic.

"_Come into the water, Juliet, come to me_," the voice said. Jig looked across the water to see a blurry white figure standing on it, about fifty feet away from her. Motivated by fear and wonder Jig ran into the water. She ran until moving through the water became too hard so she dove in and began swimming toward the white figure standing on the surface of the water. No matter how much she struggled to get to the figure, she felt a force, pulling her to the ocean floor. She struggled to reach the surface but felt the waters' currents swirling her around like some untamed force until finally, everything went black.

When Jig opened her eyes again, she saw the sun shinning down on her. She sat up, proving to herself that she was on the beach again. Instead of the bikini was wore a long, light, flowing dress that moved gently when the wind touched it. She heard the waves and felt the water briefly touched her toes and recede back to where it came from. She felt a tap on her right shoulder and looked over to see a glass with some red liquid in it being handed to her.

"Here," a voice said. She took the drink and looked up to see Ephram sitting down next to her, dressed in a long sleeved, black shirt and jeans, his normal clothes. But despite his odd manner of dress for a beach, he didn't look uncomfortable. He sat down next to her, a drink for himself in his hands. He gazed out at the ocean and smiled. 

"It's been forever since I've been on a beach like this. How about you?" he asked, turning to her. She was still a little confused.

"What? Oh, I don't know," she said. He nodded and turned back to the ocean. He sighed deeply. 

"I really like it better at sunset, you know? Because you can see all of the colors dancing on the water, it's like three sunsets. When I was little, and we'd go on vacation to Florida, I remember watching my dad walk on the beach at sunset. It was the only time I saw him as something human, you know? He wasn't some great doctor, or even my father, he was just a man on the beach, wrapped in his own thoughts."

"Your dad?" Jig asked him. He nodded.

"Yea. I remember thinking how much I wanted to know what went on in his head. What he thought about. What kind of a man he was."

"What kind of a man…" Jig said, narrowing her eyes, thinking. She looked up at him. 

"Ephram, where are we?" she asked him. He turned back to her, and smiled.

"On a beach, that's just like every other beach."

"Then where are all of the people?" she asked him.

"This is _your_ beach, Juliet. The only people who can come here are the people _you want_ to be here," he explained. He leaned forward and pointed to her left, "see." Jig looked over and saw her mother sitting in a lounge chair under an umbrella and wearing a bathing suit, sunglasses, and a big straw hat. She was reading a book in her hands.

"Mom?" Jig asked. Ephram nodded. 

"She'll always be here, Juliet, for as long as you want her to be," Ephram told her. Jig turned back to him.

"How did she get here?" Jig asked him. 

"You wanted her here," he explained.

"How did _you_ get here?" she asked. Ephram smiled.

"You wanted me here."

"JIG!" Ephram yelled and Jig shot up. She rubbed her eyes and looked across the table at Ephram who was looking at her. Suddenly the calmness of the beach was substituted for the hectic noise of the high school cafeteria.

"What?" she asked. Ephram and Desi laughed slightly. 

"Are you okay? I didn't think it was possible to fall asleep at lunch," Desi asked her, smiling. Jig nodded.

"Yea, I just, I had the weirdest dream…" she said.

"About what?" Desi asked her, curious. Jig shook her head.

"No, nothing, never mind. How long was I asleep?" she asked.

"About ten minutes. Bright wanted to put a paper cup on your head but we scared him off with our amazing wit," Ephram told her. She smiled.

"Oh that family of mine…" she said.

"All of my cousins live in France, so they have to be annoying, they don't have a choice," Desi said and Jig and Ephram laughed. Jig sighed and looked over Ephram's shoulder.

"So Colin's home, huh?" she asked. Desi and Ephram looked behind themselves.

"Yea. You know, he's a pretty cool guy," Ephram told her. Jig nodded.

"He looks lost," Jig observed.

"Yea well, he is…" Desi told her. Jig shook her head and turned to Ephram.

"You know Ephram, you and I lost our mothers, but Colin lost his entire life. That's including his entire family, all of his friends, everything. It's kind of weird, though. Colin has lost everything _we've_ gained," Jig pointed out. Ephram nodded, and so did Desi. Ephram leaned in close to Desi.

"Jig has this _uncanny_ ability to make sense all the time," Ephram told her. Desi laughed and Jig kicked him.

Delia and Murasaki stood on Delia's front yard, waiting for Hasina to come. Delia was eagerly looking down the road and jumping up and down. Murasaki stood quietly, glad that her friend was happy, but not very happy herself. She had no reason to be unhappy, but she was. Actually, she did have a reason, what she lacked was a _good_ reason. The fact of the matter was, Murasaki had never really had a friend before. And now she had Delia. But in a few minutes, she might not have Delia anymore. She trusted Delia as much as she had ever trusted anyone before in her life, but, as is everyone when faced with the idea of losing something they love, she was scared. 

"You're going to love Hasina, Murasaki. She's so much fun. When we were little, we created this game, and you can play it with us. We'll teach you," Delia told her. Murasaki nodded, but said nothing. Dr. Brown and Ephram walked out onto the front yard to await Hasina's arrival as well. 

"It sure was nice of Adolfo and Asha to bring Hasina all the way out here just so she could see you," Dr. Brown told her. Delia nodded.

"Hasina always had a way of getting what she wants," Ephram told him but didn't elaborate. Delia laughed slightly. 

"Delia, is that them?" Murasaki asked pointing to a van moving slowly down the street to their house. Excitedly Delia stepped into the road and started waving her arms in the air. The driver of the van, seeing her, moved faster and stopped right in front of their house. The back door opened before the van came to a stop and the Black/Hispanic girl ran toward Delia at mach two. 

The two girls started hugging each other and jumping up and down amongst a barrage of joyful screams. Murasaki looked down at her shoes. Two people emerged from the van, one closing the back door. They both walked over to Dr. Brown and Ephram and shook their hands. Then the four of them watched the two girls sharing a moment of utter, childhood bliss. 

"How was your trip?" Dr. Brown asked the tall, dashing Mexican.

"The peanuts sucked," he replied and Dr. Brown chuckled. The dignified looking African woman slapped her husband's arm.

"Oh don't listen to Adolfo, he's a big fool. He slept the entire flight, no matter how hard Hasina-baby and I poked him," Asha said with such a rich accent one could only admire it. Adolfo laughed and rubbed his hands together for warmth.

"Though, Andy, you really can pick the spots. It's beautiful here, even if I am freezing my huevos off," Adolfo said and chuckled slightly. Asha hit him again.

"Well I'm glad you got to see it," Dr. Brown said, knowing they would understand that was him thanking them for brining his daughter's best friend to see her. Asha and Adolfo nodded in perfect understanding.

"Hasina-baby has a way of getting what she wants," Asha told him, smiling. Ephram laughed slightly and looked at the ground. Dr. Brown still didn't get it. But, that wasn't important. 

"So how long are you guys staying for?" Dr. Brown asked them.

"Only a week, I'm afraid. Asha has a big meeting in New York, and my parents are coming up for a visit," Adolfo said. Dr. Brown nodded.

"Come on Hasina, I'll show you all of my new hats!" Delia said grabbing Hasina by the wrist and dragging her up the steps and into the house. After a few moments Dr. Brown, Asha, and Adolfo walked into the house too. Ephram looked down at Murasaki, who had obviously been forgotten.

"Come on, I'll walk you home," he told her, walking down the sidewalk. She nodded her head and followed him, holding back tears. 

"Who are the Everwood Cast?" Hasina asked Delia, looking at Delia's wall of caps. Delia smiled, running her fingers over where Bright had written his name.

"The high school's football team."

"And who are the Everwood Miners?" Hasina asked.

"The high school's basketball team," Delia said smiling. 

"No girl's teams?" Hasina asked her surprised. Hasina was only nine but a devout feminist, well, she was a devout what a nine-year-old would think a feminist is. Delia shrugged.

"Well, there's this boy…" she confessed. Until now, she had never let anyone know about, 'the crush,' but this was Hasina, her best friend in the entire world. Hasina smiled. She might be a feminist, but she was also a nine-year-old girl.

"A boy? In high school!" Hasina said excitedly. Delia nodded but motioned for her to be silent.

"You can't tell _anyone_, okay?" Delia told her. Hasina nodded and placed a hand on her chest.

"I promise. So who is he?" Hasina asked and the two girls started giggling.

The three grown ups downstairs could hear the girls' giggles and Adolfo let out a long sigh.

"They grow up so fast, don't they Andy?" Adolfo asked as Dr. Brown poured his two guests some tea. Yes, Dr. Brown knew how to make tea.

"What do you mean, Adolfo? Delia hasn't grown up that much," Dr. Brown said, but as he said it instances came to mind that proved him wrong a hundred times.

"Oh sure she is. Those giggles, they're talking about _boys_," Adolfo told him. Dr. Brown frowned.

"Boys?" he asked. Adolfo nodded.

"Yea, you're a doctor, you know what a 'boy' is," he replied laughing. Dr. Brown nodded.

"Right, _boys_…" 

"Look, Andy, Delia's nine years old. That's a perfectly natural age for a girl to be giggling about boys. I giggled from ages seven to seventeen," Asha reassured him. Dr. Brown nodded.

"Right, _boys_…" he said and turned away from them to place the teapot back on the stove. Asha slapped Adolfo.

"Look what you did!" she told him.

"What?" Adolfo asked, confused. 


	57. happy 200th review to me!

Nina placed a plate of food down in front of a brown haired woman who thanked her. Nina made no reply, too caught up in her thoughts. Meredith might not have been there with her physically, but she was all Nina could think about. For awhile Nina had been so happy to have such a lovely child to call her own, but now, now she could do nothing but worry. What if Meredith _was_ Niki's? No, Niki was too smart to get herself pregnant, and she would have told Nina if she were. Wouldn't she? Nina faintly heard the door chimes but was too preoccupied to care. She did care, however, when the brown haired woman pulled on her sleeve and motioned toward the door. Nina looked over and gasped. Niki Williams was about 5'8" with chin length, straight black hair and her sister's eyes. She was 20 years old but despite her youth was malcontent, and looked as though she had been for some time. 

"Hi Nina," she said softly, waving a few fingers randomly. Nina, mouth still gaping open, ran out from around the counter and wrapped her arms around her little sister, holding her tightly.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Nina cried into her sister's ear. Niki hugged her back, now crying herself.

"I didn't want you to hate me for ruining my life," Niki told her. Nina held her tighter.

"I could never hate you, Niki," Nina reassured her.

"I'm so sorry Nina! I- I didn't know what to do! I- I couldn't take care of her and go to school, I- I had to do something but I didn't want to put her in an orphanage, I…" Niki said but fell completely into sobs. By now there wasn't a person at Mama Joy's who hadn't guessed who the baby belonged to. 

"Okay, Niki, you'll be glad to know that Meredith is perfectly fine. She's progressing nicely and seems to be of a very good disposition," Dr. Brown reassured her. The two sisters sat in the chairs opposite him, and the younger one held the cooing baby in her lap. Niki looked at the child with equal amounts of utter joy and utter grief. She felt like the beginning of a Charles Dickens novel. But Niki smiled.

"Meredith…" she said, hearing her daughter's name for the first time.

"It was Carl's mother's name," Nina said, almost regretting giving the baby a name that had almost no special importance to Niki. Niki nodded.

"It's a beautiful name," Niki said. Nina smiled.

"Now Niki, I think I understand your situation well enough, but I'll just make sure I have it straight. Now you gave birth to Meredith, and you tried to raise her and go to school, but found out you couldn't. So you came to Everwood and left Nina with the baby. Now the reason you didn't _tell_ Nina Meredith was yours was because you thought the family would hate you and cut you off, right?" Dr. Brown asked her. Niki nodded.

"Niki we never would have-" 

"I know Nina and I'm so sorry! I was just so scared and I-!" Niki said but was cut off when Dr. Brown placed two fingers in his mouth and blew an almost deafening whistle. The two sisters looked at him.

"I think what we should focus on now is what to do with Meredith," he reminded them. They both nodded. Nina turned to her sister. 

"I think I have a plan. Niki, we'll take care of Meredith until to you graduate from college and get yourself a job where you can support the both of you," Nina suggested. Niki nodded, grateful.

"But Nina, you could become very attached to Meredith at that point," Dr. Brown reminded her. Nina nodded.

"I know. But if Niki can take care of her, I'd be willing to suffer the transfer. Meredith needs her mother, Andy," Nina told him. Niki frowned and looked down at the bouncing bundle of joy on her lap.

"You're weird, you know that?" Ephram asked as he flipped through his CD folder. He was up in his room and on his wall was Jig, doing a handstand and using his wall for balance. She sighed.

"I told you, I have a headache," she told him.

"And this _helps_?" he asked walking over and sitting on his couch, looking at her.

"Seems to," she replied, showing she had once been surprised by it, but had now accepted it. Ephram sighed.

"Hey, look what came in the mail today," he said getting off of his bed and holding a book down in front of her face.

"Uh, Ephram…" she said. He scoffed, turned the book upside down, and held it in front of her face again. She smiled.

"Cool, you got the second volume of Ayashi no Ceres. I love Yuuhi. Now, I love Tooya and all, but I kind of want Aya and Yuuhi together," she confessed. Ephram sat down in front of her.

"Well, you know, I'm not positive, I only read stuff online, but I think it kinds of turns out that way," he told her.

"Really!" she asked excitedly. He nodded.

"Kind of. I think Tooya gets her pregnant, but than dies, so Yuuhi gets to take care of them," he told her. Jig sighed.

"That's Yu Watase for ya," she said.

"I've read some interviews with her, she seems very nice," Ephram said.

"Well, of course. The creator of Nuriko could be nothing but."

"She has an odd preference for Nakago, though," Ephram said, not understanding it.

"Must be the hair…" Jig suggested. Ephram fell silent, thinking.

"You know we spend a lot of time talking about Yu Watase…" he pointed out. Jig laughed and than sighed.

"So, Ephram. What are you and Desi doing for Valentine's Day?" she asked him. 

"Valentine's Day?"

"Yea, it's this Friday," she said and laughed a little. Ephram fell silent and his eyes widened to form a terror stricken look. Jig sighed.

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"I _completely_ forgot! Holy crap Jig what am I going to do! I've never had a girlfriend on Valentine's Day before!" Ephram said.

"Just, relax, Ephram. Take her out to dinner."

"Dinner? Where? V-Day's in four days! Every fancy place has to be _booked_!"

"Then take her to Gino Chang's."

"I can't take the _mayor's daughter_ to _Gino's_!" he yelled. Jig sighed.

"Well then remember the damn holiday!" she yelled. He sighed, trying to calm himself down. Then he snapped as an idea hit him.

"I got it! Oh she'll love it! It's really romantic and crap!" Ephram said, smiling. Jig laughed.

"Well I'm glad to see you're getting into the spirit," she said. He scoffed.

"What spirit? February fourteenth was the day Valentine was _beheaded_. Why are we celebrating the day his head fell off his body?" he asked more himself than her.

"Speaking of falling, you might want to move…" she warned him and her legs started coming down. Ephram quickly moved and Jig became the right side up once again. She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. She turned to him.

"Headache's gone," she said smiling. He shook his head.

"You're weird."

"And this is my dad's new office! Isn't it cool? It used to be a train station but he cleaned it up, painted it, so now he helps people, for _free_…" Delia said as she walked Hasina around the office. Hasina stood for a few moments in the center of the room, looking around. She then looked at Edna for a few moments. When Edna turned and saw her, Hasina took off in a run to catch up with Delia, who was headed for her father's office. Edna huffed but went on with her work. Delia and Hasina knocked on Dr. Brown's door and he allowed them entrance. Delia opened the door and the two girls walked in. Dr. Brown looked up from his desk and smiled.

"Hi Delia, hi Hasina. So how do you like Everwood so far?" Dr. Brown asked her as she looked around his room, seemingly most interested with the paintings on his walls. 

"The people seem nice," Hasina said. Dr. Brown nodded.

"They are."

"We just came from Mama Joy's. Nina gave us free sundaes," Delia said smiling.

"Well that was nice of her. You remembered to thank you, right?" Dr. Brown doubled checked. Delia nodded.

"Yea, we both did. I'm taking Hasina to the library next," Delia told him. Dr. Brown narrowed his eyebrows.

"Everwood has a library?" he asked her. She nodded. 

"Yea, I've been there a few times. The librarian is nice. She kind of reminds me of you," Delia informed him.

"Oh…" he said, none of his education supplying any other reply.

"This is a nice office Mr. Brown," Hasina told him.

"Why thank you Hasina," Dr. Brown said smiling.

"I think my dad was wrong, you're not crazy," Hasina told him. Dr. Brown frowned.

"Thank you…" he said. She nodded. Delia smiled and walked over to her friend.

"Come on Hasina, we have to get to the library before it closes. Bye Dad!" Delia said as the two walked out of his office. 

"Good bye! And be careful!" he warned them.

Amy and Desi were in the clothing department of the biggest and classiest store in Everwood. The fact of everything was, Friday was Valentine's Day, and they both had boyfriends. Amy knew Colin wouldn't do anything for her, she didn't except him too. But, that didn't mean she couldn't look nice for him. Desi, was scared out of her wits. Not only had she never had a boyfriend before, she had never had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day. What the Hell was she supposed to do? She knew she needed a great looking dress, that was a given. Would she just change after school? What if whatever Ephram had planned needed them to leave from school? Should she bring the dress with her? What about make up? Should she just ask Ephram what he has planned, so she could work around it? What if he forgot? No, no Ephram wouldn't forget _Valentine's Day_. But she can't ask him.

"What about this one?" Amy asked her, holding a dark pink dress against herself. Desi looked at it.

"Looks a little cold," Desi suggested, remembering very well the icy sidewalks and snow covered trees that lay outside.

"Yea it does, but I have this perfect waist coat that would go with it," Amy told her.

"Then get it, how much is it?" Desi asked her. Amy bit her lip and looked at the price. She frowned.

"The _exact_ amount I have in my pocket…" she said. Desi shrugged.

"I'll pay the tax," she said. Amy looked up to her, surprised.

"Really?" she asked. Desi nodded.

"Sure. It's my dad's money anyway," she said and laughed a little. Amy smiled.

"Thanks…" Amy said. Desi waved it off.

"No problem. Now, what do you think?" Desi said holding a pink dress against herself. Amy shook her head.

"No, bad color. For you, either the dark color of your hair, or, white…" Amy suggested.

"White?" Desi asked, surprised. Amy nodded.

"Yea. I bet you'd look good in white. Try this one," Amy said handing her a dress. Desi held it to herself and looked in the mirror. She moved from side to side and nodded, pleased.

"I have a snowflake pendant that would go perfect with this," Desi said, smiling. 


	58. happy me!

"Okay, I'll be White and… who do you want to be?" Delia asked as she placed her piece in front of her. She smiled, looking over the Clue™ board. Hasina was sitting across from her, reading the instructions. She frowned.

"Uh oh, Delia, it says here we need three players…" Hasina told her. Delia looked surprised.

"What, we never needed three people before!"

"We never read the directions before…" Hasina pointed out. Delia frowned. 

"Ephram's not home and Dad is busy going over files, or, something…" Delia said.

"What about that boy next door?" Hasina asked her.

"Sam? No, he chews on the pieces…" Delia said. Hasina sighed.

"Well, is there anyone else you know who can play with us?" Hasina asked her. Delia fell silent, in thought. Then, after a few moments, her eyes widened and she let out a blaring yell. She quickly ran from her room and down the stairs. She ran over to her father who was sitting in the kitchen reading over some papers. He looked at her as she started pulling at his arm.

"I need a ride! I need a ride!" she yelled at him. Dr. Brown nodded and got his coat.

Mayumi opened the door and let Delia, Hasina, and Dr. Brown come inside. Hasina and Dr. Brown were shown into the living room and Delia ran upstairs, a growing puppy at her heels. She ran to Murasaki's door and began knocking on it. When she had no reply she started yelling the name of her forgotten friend, almost panicking that she had done an irreversible act. Murasaki, who until hearing Delia's voice had been crying into her pillow, opened the door and stood there, staring at her. Delia smiled at first, happy that her friend wasn't going to treat her the same way she had been treated, but frowned, seeing that Murasaki had obviously been crying.

"I'm sorry," Delia said. Murasaki tried to keep a straight face but again broke out into tears. Delia leaned forward and hugged her.

"I'm sorry Murasaki! I just got caught up in Hasina!" Delia told her, somehow beginning to cry herself.

"You said we would do things together! You said we'd show her around town, you and me!" Murasaki told her.

"I'm sorry! But I'll make up for it, I promise!" Delia told her. She and Murasaki parted and Murasaki looked at her.

"How?"

"It was Mr. Plum, in the library, with the, uh, revolver!" Murasaki said and Delia and Hasina started going down their lists. Silently they turned to each other and Delia picked up the small envelope laying in the middle of the board. She pulled the cards out, looked at them, and frowned. She looked up at Murasaki.

"How'd you get so good as this game?" she asked her. Murasaki grinned.

"My brother beat me once when I was five, and he bugged me about it for three months. So I vowed never to lose a game again," Murasaki said laughing slightly about the pure absurdity of the vow. Hasina sighed.

"I wish I could play that good. I have a few cousins who need to be taught a lesson!" Hasina told her and the three laughed. Delia smiled at Murasaki and she smiled back.

"I'm glad you decided to play," Delia told her. Hasina agreed.

"Even if you are beating us!" she said and the girl's laughed again. Murasaki turned to Delia, smiled, and nodded. And with that, all was good between them. 

"Stop squirming unless you want me to strangle you. And believe me, death by bow tie isn't the way you want to go," Jig warned Ephram as she straightened his bow tie. They were up in his room that Friday, and late morning sun was pouring in and surrounding the two friends. Jig was dressed normally, the sun hitting her hair and making a few strands shine out a bright red color, while other shown yellow, and yet others a dark, dull brown. Ephram was dressed in a tuxedo, and the sun hit his hair in a way to make the fading purple color completely vanish. When Jig was finished with his bow tie she placed the single white rose in his breast pocket and pinned it into place. She then took a step back away from him, tugged on the bottom of his jacket, looked at him again, and nodded.

"Ephram honey, if I didn't know you I'd bind you with rope, kidnap you to a secluded cabin in the woods, and do god knows what with you," Jig told him. He laughed slightly. 

"Let's be glad you know me then," he told her. She nodded.

"Let's. But seriously, Ephram, if Desi doesn't already know how lucky she is to have you, she will now," Jig reassured him. He nodded.

"And if she still doesn't, there's always the secluded cabin in the woods," he joked. Jig laughed. Her hand then went to a loose thread on his shoulder. She pulled it and then let out a yell of shock.

"What?" Ephram asked her, panicked slightly. Jig walked around behind him and pulled out a needle and thread.

"Just a little hole, it was already there…" she lied. He rolled his eyes, knowing she was lying, but not saying anything. She walked back to him and started sewing the "small" hole. Ephram smiled.

"You sew too?" he asked her. She nodded, smiling.

"Of course. Fixing a shirt costs _a lot_ less than buying a new one," she said laughing slightly.

"_Fixing_ a shirt?"

"Yea. What do you do if you tear a sleeve or something?" 

"I get a new shirt," he said. Jig sighed and shook her head.

"Well, maybe you rich folk could do that, but us in the real world had to make things last," she said. He nodded. As she stitched the hole on his shoulder he turned carefully to look at her.

"You know, I wonder what it must have been like, living your life," Ephram told her. She looked up at him in surprise and than back to his shoulder.

"No you don't," she said simply, wanting to drop the idea off of the face of the earth. 

"I think it'd be interesting, you know, going through all of the things you've gone through," he said. Jig sighed and looked up at him.

"Ephram, _interesting_ isn't the word. I've seen things and _done_ things you could only imagine in your _nightmares_. You're better off as ignorant as you are…" she reassured him, her face showing a mixture of supreme earnestness and deep rooted regret. Ephram nodded.

"Well everything got there okay, so far things are going perfectly," he told her. Jig nodded, smiling.

"Good, Desi's going to love this."

"Are you sure?" Ephram asked her. Jig nodded.

"Waking up to ten dozen roses, a gourmet breakfast in bed, and you in a tux? She won't know what to do with herself," Jig reassured him, finishing off her sewing. She cut the thread and stuck the needle through her shirt so she wouldn't lose it. She motioned Ephram toward the mirror. He walked over to it, turned from side to side, and smiled, nodding his head.

"Desi _is_ going to love this," he said. Jig laughed slightly. She walked up behind him and looked at him in the mirror. She nodded.

"Glad I shortened it?" she asked him. He looked surprised.

"You shortened it?" he asked her. She smiled.

"About a quarter of an inch…"

"Wow, I hadn't noticed."

"I gathered that," she said and he smiled. Then he frowned.

"Jig?"

"Yea?"

"Shouldn't you be at school?" her asked her. Jig's eyes widened and she yelled out in surprise.

"Crap! School! Why don't I get to take off?" she yelled at him, grabbing her bag and running out of the room. Ephram walked to his door.

"Because I have a flare for romance!" he yelled after her. 

"Go to Hell!" she yelled up at him downstairs. Ephram laughed and looked at himself in the mirror again. He tugged on the bottom of his jacket and nodded.

"Desi's going to love this!"

Dr. Brown walked into Mama Joy's that afternoon for lunch. The entire building was adorned with red streamers and hearts of all sizes, both inside and out. He sat down next to a brunette woman and ordered a hamburger. When he was served his sandwich he scoffed seeing that the meat had been formed into a heart.

"You should see the spaghetti and meatballs," the woman next to him said. He chuckled slightly.

"Heart shaped meatballs?" he asked her. She shook her head and turned back to her plate.

"Heart shaped _Spaghetti_…" she corrected him and he cringed. 

"Hey, hey, hey. No poking on the chef you two. He could poison your food ya know…" Nina warned them. The woman laughed slightly to herself.

"They _we'd_ be made into heart shaped patties," she said and Dr. Brown laughed. Nina shook her head smiling, and handed the woman her check. Dr. Brown turned to the woman.

"I've seen you in here before…" he said to her. She turned and looked at him, her dark gray eyes catching his.

"Well, that's not at all impossible. I've been in here before," she told him. He nodded.

"I'm Andy Brown," he said extending his hand. The woman shook it.

"Penny Laderer," she said.

"So, why haven't I seen you around town?" he asked her. She shrugged.

"Librarians don't get out much, I guess," she suggested. Andy smiled.

"So _you're_ the librarian!" he said. She nodded.

"Now and forever, I'm afraid," Penny said. She placed some money on the counter with her check and said good bye to Nina. She stood up and patted Andy on the shoulder.

"See you around Andy Brown," she told him and walked out of the restaurant. Nina walked over to Andy with a smirk and refilled his coffee mug.

"I can't believe you haven't met Penny before…" she told him. He shrugged.

"I haven't needed a book and I guess she hasn't been sick…" Andy suggested. 

"What are you talking about? Penny had the world's biggest sinus infection in December…" Nina told him. Andy narrowed his eyes confused.

"Then I wonder why I didn't see her," Andy said and Nina shrugged. Dr. Abbott walked into the restaurant and sat down where Penny had been sitting as Nina took away the plate and cleaned the spot.

"Maybe it's because there's _another_ doctor in town…" Dr. Abbott reminded him. Andy nodded his head.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot about you," Andy said as Nina handed him his check. Andy paid and stood up. He patted Dr. Abbott on the back.

"Try the spaghetti and meatballs Harold, I hear they're good," he said and left. 


	59. we had to switch computer screens

Jig walked down Deerborn Street and onto the sidewalk of a house she frequently visited. She looked briefly up at the clear black sky with its million small lights coming from a million stars a million miles away. As her eyes fell to the house in front of her she noticed a figure lying on the porch roof. She stopped walking and sighed.

"So you _are_ home! Ephram! It's only eight o'clock! You and Desi are supposed to be smooching somewhere!" she yelled. The figure on the roof sat up and sure enough it was Ephram still in his tux. The bow tie was hanging loosely around his neck, the sleeves were at his elbows, and the jacket was open, but he was still in his tux. 

"Things go badly?" she then asked him. Ephram let out a sigh so loud she could hear it from the sidewalk and he lay back down. Jig sighed and walked into the house.

A few minutes later Jig crawled out of Ephram's window and onto the porch roof. He looked at her as she sat down next to him, then he looked back to the stars.

"What took you so long?" he asked her.

"I had to pee…" she told him and he chuckled slightly. 

"I'm up here in anguish and you had to pee…" 

" 'Anguish' huh? How bad?" Jig asked him. Ephram sighed.

"_Bad_ bad…" he replied. Jig sighed now.

"Well go on…" she said. Ephram sat up and looked at her.

"Okay, the night before I asked one of the maids who works there to set Desi's alarm clock of twelve instead of six, right? So when I get there the flowers have all arrived and she's still asleep. So some of the maids, all a lot of nice people, help me making her breakfast and help set the flowers up in her room. Anyway, at twelve her alarm goes off, she turns it off, and sits up. Then she makes this loud gasping noise and looks around with the most beautiful smile on her face that I've ever seen. I mean, smiles were not made to be this beautiful. Then I walk in and she runs over to me and hugs me and kisses me."

"So she loved it?"

"She _loved_ it. I thought she was going to, explode, or something…"

"Then what went wrong?"

"Well, we had breakfast, and then watched The Patriot. She loves that movie, I dunno why."

"Really? I never liked it. The two cute guys die."

"Two? I thought it was only the one."

"No, there's the one in the beginning, remember?" 

"Him? You thought he was cute?"

"Well, certainly worth a second look. Or, a 47th look…" Jig said biting her lower lip and looking up at the stars in thought. Ephram frowned but decided to drop it.

"_Anyway_… As we're watching it we start, you knowing, kissing and touching and all kinds of stuff on her bed…" Ephram said. Jig raised an eyebrow.

" 'All kinds of stuff?' " she asked him. He frowned at her so she wiped the grin from her face.

"Sorry. So what happened next?" she asked. Ephram sighed and looked across the street.

"Then her _father_ walked in…" Ephram said. Jig cringed. She patted Ephram on the shoulder.

"Poor boy," she said. He nodded.

"Well when we saw him Desi told me to run so I did. Been here ever since."

"Have you talked to her?" Jig asked him. Ephram shook his head.

"She hasn't called me, and I'm afraid to call _her_," Ephram explained. Jig nodded.

"Well, hopefully you'll get to talk to her before they send her off to boarding school in Switzerland," Jig said. Ephram frowned at her.

"Not even _funny_…" he told her. She nodded.

"Sorry. So do you want me to call her?" Jig asked suddenly. Ephram looked surprised.

"You would do that?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Sure. She might be allowed a call from a girl," Jig said. Excitedly Ephram ran into his room and over to his phone. He picked it up and began carrying it back to the rooftop. 

"Hold on! Hold on! I'll come inside!" Jig said as she did so. When she was in he pushed the phone on her and dialed. She sighed as the phone rang.

"It's a good thing I went to the bathroom before I- Hi! May I speak to Desi please? This is Jig. All right…" Jig said and was silent for a few moments, waiting for Desi to get to a phone. When she did Jig shoved the phone to Ephram who, very surprised, took it and spoke into it.

"Desi? It's Ephram! How are things? Yea, yea that was Jig. She figured we'd get to talk if your parents thought it wasn't me. Yea she usually is…" Ephram said, smiling.

"I'm just going to go now…" Jig whispered and headed for his door. Ephram grabbed her arm, commanding her to stay. She sighed and sat down on his bed. 

"So how are things? That bad huh? But he _has_ met me! Yea I know. They're making you _what_? But we'd never-! I mean we'd-!" Ephram started yelling, a little upset. Jig by now had gotten off of his bed and walked close to him, looking at his face. He was too busy on the phone to notice her stare.

"I mean maybe we would-! But I'm not saying-!" Ephram continued not finishing his sentences.

"You're blushing!" Jig yelled. Ephram took a few steps away from her and turned his back to her. Jig, now grinning fully, walked around again to look at him. She took the phone from his hand and held it to her ear.

"He's gotta go now, Desi, an oddity rarer than Hell freezing over just occurred…" Jig said into it and hung up. Ephram frowned at her, but the reddish of his blushing still apparent on his cheeks. Jig ran her hand down the side of his face, feeling the extraordinary warmth. He stepped away from her, even more embarrassed than before, making the redness of his cheeks grow even greater. Jig laughed slightly.

"Ephram, you're blushing! What exactly are Desi's parents making her do?" Jig asked him. Ephram frowned, but the blush remained. 

"Nothing…" he said. Jig frowned.

"You don't blush for 'nothing,' Ephram…" she told him. He shook his head.

"I doesn't matter. She's trying to talk them out of it, and she will…" Ephram said. Jig nodded, understanding.

"Hey, I got some shopping to do, want to come with?" she asked him. Ephram sighed.

"Promise never to mention my blushing again?" he asked her. Jig bit her lower lip thinking about it.

"Alright fine…" she said. Ephram nodded.

"Fine, I'll come with you…" he said and the two left his room. 

Since the Izquierdo family was leaving the next day, Hasina and Murasaki were both sleeping over at Delia's house. Delia now laid in her bed, and Murasaki and Hasina on cots on either side of her. Murasaki was already half asleep but the remaining two were holding a quiet conversation. 

"I'm glad you came," Delia said. 

"Me too," Hasina agreed.

"Hasina?"

"Yea?"

"Who moved into our apartment?" Delia asked, the first curiosity on the subject reaching her. Hasina sighed.

"An old couple with their grandson. He's about our age," Hasina said smiling. Delia and Hasina had been friends for such a long time, Delia could tell by the sound of her voice that Hasina was smiling. 

"And you poked at me for _my_ crush…" Delia said. Hasina laughed slightly. 

"That's because your crush is in _high school_!" Hasina told her. Delia sighed.

"Delia you like someone in high school!" Murasaki yelled, surprised. Delia sighed angrily and buried her face in her pillow. Hasina broke out into laughter.

"So he actually talks me into going to this party, right? So we get there, and after we take one step into the apartment this girl runs by us, _completely naked_," Ephram said as he and Jig walked into her house. Jig started laughing.

"So what happened?" she asked him.

"Well, Skug ran into the room and I slowly walked backward _out_ of it," Ephram said and Jig laughed again. Irv and Edna watched the two of them as they made their way across the living room toward the kitchen. 

"You're looking nice, Ephram…" Irv pointed out.

"What's with the get up?" Edna asked him. Ephram looked down to see that he was still wearing his tux. He laughed and Jig did too, both forgetting he was wearing it.

"Oh, uh, it's Valentine's Day…" he said. Edna's eyes widened in surprise and looked at Irv who was smiling at the ground, shaking his head.

"It is? Why didn't you tell me?" Edna asked him. Irv laughed slightly.

"Because you _hate_ Valentine's Day…" he told her. She frowned.

"I know. But _you_ like it," she told him. He raised his hand.

"It's okay, Edna, don't worry about it."

"I wasn't worried…" she said defensively. He chuckled slightly and turned to the younger two. 

"So why did you decide Valentine's Day of all nights to go shopping?" Irv asked more Jig than Ephram. She shrugged.

"Had some stuff to get," Jig told him. Irv nodded.

"And, uh, you needed Ephram to help you?" he asked. Jig grinned.

"Bag boy strike…" she said. Irv chuckled slightly and Jig and Ephram walked into the kitchen. Irv turned back to Edna who was grinning at him.

"You landed on Boardwalk…" she told him. He looked down at the Monopoly board in front of him and sighed. 

"Bankrupting me on Valentine's Day. Have you no decency?" Irv asked her handing her his remaining money. She chuckled and took it. 

"Not since '78 sweet cheeks."


	60. so i need to steal a new sticker

~

"Here Mommy! Read me this one!" a four-year-old, brown haired boy said as he handed his mother a book. His mother opened it and smiled.

"You know, I bet not every four-year-old boy asks him mother to read him Shakespeare," she told him. He looked at her confused, his large gray eyes staring at her.

"What else is there?" he asked her. She laughed slightly. 

"Never mind dear. Okay, here we go. 'Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny…'"

"Mommy?" the boy asked. She turned to him. He outstretched his arm and placed his hand on her slightly round stomach.

"Even after my sister is born, I'll still get to chose what you read, right?" he asked her. She smiled and rubbed the back of his head gently. 

"Oh course Ephram, I'll always read you whatever you want…" she reassured him. 

~

Ephram woke with a start. He sat up in bed and looked around his shadow laden room. His raised his hand to his face and ran the tips of his fingers down his cheek to discover tears he didn't know he had shed. He looked over at his clock and sighed. It was three o'clock in the morning. He looked around his room, his eyes now adjusted to the low light. He shook his head and turned his face down, closing his eyes.

"One year…" he said to himself. 

Even after everyone was awake, the Brown's house still seemed quiet. In fact, it was quiet. There were the normal greetings between the three, poor attempts to pretend the day was like every other day. But it wasn't, and each of the three knew that so well, it hurt.

They knew if they spent the day at home like they wanted, things would only be worse. They needed to get out and doing things. They needed to distract themselves. They needed to at least _act_ like the day had no more importance than simply getting to the next one. So Ephram and Delia had gone to school, and Andy went to his office to help other people. 

Delia was so quiet at school Murasaki became worried. But she knew whatever it was that was bothering her friend, if Delia wanted her to know she would. Until the problem was identified, Murasaki sat diligently at her side, and just as worried. When Miss Violet called on Delia for an answer, Murasaki would give her one and fend her off if she tried to hassle Delia for it. 

For Ephram his friends did much the same. Desi was very worried about him, but only spoke her worries to Jig who reassured her of Ephram's well being. Jig, seeing his expression on her own face so many times, never needed to wonder what that day was. In fact, that date only made her dread the day that would be the same for her. 

At lunch Desi had to go over the newest edition of the newspaper. Actually, it was a rather difficult paper, caused Desi many headaches. The girl who was supposed to play the lead in the senior play was pregnant. It plagued Desi whether or not she should report it. It was news, it belonged in the newspaper, but it was also the girl's life. The result was that her pregnancy was written down as simply "medical conditions that this writer doesn't have the power to disclose." The student body could make their own connections. 

So since Desi was occupied elsewhere Ephram and Jig sat silently together at lunch, each remembering the past twelve and four months respectively. There was food in front of them but it went uneaten. Oddly, Jig started laughing slightly to herself. Ephram looked at her, completely confused by the sudden change in atmosphere.

"What?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"Nothing, nothing. Well, actually… something just occurred to me. You're the best friend I've ever had…" she told him. Ephram was now more confused.

"That's funny?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"Not really, it's just… I know what today is for you, Ephram…" she confessed. He nodded, already assuming that. Jig went on.

"Well, it's kind of funny, because, if your mom hadn't died, and, actually, if _my_ mom hadn't died, I would never have met you…" she said. Ephram fell silent and looked away from her to his plate of uneaten food. Jig frowned.

"It's kind of funny, Ephram, because I owe the happiest times of my life to the deaths of the people we loved most in the world…" she explained. Ephram nodded. The fact of the matter was, he did too. He was happier in Everwood than he had ever been in his life now, and it was because his mother had died. Ephram smiled and eventually chuckled slightly.

"That's a horrible thing to say…" he said, still laughing. Jig nodded, laughing a little herself.

"Isn't it?" she said and the two continued laughing, slumped against each other.

"My mother died today! So why am I laughing?" Ephram asked her. Jig shook her head.

"I don't know! Come on, let's get out of here…" Jig said as the two stood up and, unnoticed, walked out of the school. 

Andy sat alone in Everwood's bar surrounded by neon lights and the dank smell of thirty years of downed liquor and Everwood's version of bar fights. It was about one in the afternoon but he needed a drink. He needed to get into an atmosphere where he could sit consumed by his thought and no one would bother him. That's what the bar was for. 

"To the sessions of sweet silent thought…" Andy said and took a sip from his glass. He sighed slightly as a person walked over to him and sat down next to him. But, instead of talking to him like he thought, the person placed her head on the counter and covered it with her arms. Andy took another sip from his glass.

"Bad day?" he asked the brown haired woman.

"Bad anniversary…" she answered. Andy lifted his glass.

"I'll drink to that," he said and did. The woman released her head and turned to look up at him.

"The doctor…" she said. He looked down at her.

"The librarian…" he replied. She sat up and ordered a drink from the bartender. 

"So why are you blue?" she asked him. He sighed and looked at the swirl in his drink as he moved it.

"My wife died one year ago today," he said. She bit her lip.

"Well that sucks…" she said and he chuckled slightly at her bluntness. He nodded.

"Yea. So what's your anniversary?" he asked her, since they were being so open.

"Marriage…" she said with a frown as she took a long drink from the glass she was given. Andy raised an eyebrow.

"You're married?" he asked her. She scoffed.

"_Divorced_…" she said. 

"Ugly?" he asked her. She took another long sip from her glass. 

"_Vile_," she corrected him. He nodded. 

"So what happened?" he asked her. She sighed and turned to him. 

"Why the interest? I thought your _sister_ was the shrink..." she told him. He chuckled.

"If you can call her that. Well if you must know, I could use someone else's woes…" he explained. She nodded. 

"Well, we went to high school together, he was Carl Feeny's best friend. He asked me to marry him, I was young, so I did. Six years later the sight of him gave me a bad taste in my mouth, and vice versa, so we got divorced on accountant of mutual hatred…" she explained. 

"I'd be happy with that actually…" he said. She sighed and took another sip from her drink.

"Hatred doesn't come from no where, doc," she told him. He looked at her curiously. 

"And yours come from…?" he asked her. She finished her drink in one sip.

"A loss so horrible it makes you temporarily _blind_…" she said. Andy fell silent. 

"That sounds bad…" he said and she chuckled slightly. The bartender placed another drink in front of her. She picked it up and turned to him.

"To those we've lost, on any day," she said and the two drank to it. 

~

"Ephram, Ephram, come here. Do you see that? That's a three toed sloth…" a brown haired woman said bending down to the small boy standing at her feet. The boy's bright eyes glowed even in the darkness of the zoo hallway as they watched the slow moving creature make its way up the tree limb.

"Why does it move so slowly, Mommy?" the boy asked her. Julia Brown smiled.

"Well Ephram, you see, the sloth is one of nature's most careful creatures. It takes its time and makes sure every single step is worth taking. It never wastes a single moment," she explained. Ephram smiled and turned to his mom again.

"Kind of the opposite of me, huh?" he asked her. Julia started laughing and hugged the boy's head.

"Yea, honey, kind of like that," she told him. He smiled and ran down to the next cell.

"Mommy! Mommy! What's this one?" he asked her excited. The tall woman walked over and looked through the bars. She laughed slightly.

"This one's empty…" she told him.

"Oh," he said and burst out into giggles. She picked him up into her arms, momentarily enveloped in the warm smell of his youth. She carried him over to the brown haired man holding a small baby in his arms. 

"How is she?" Julia asked him. He smiled, bouncing the baby girl in his arms.

"She's asleep," Andy replied. Ephram leaned away from his mother's shoulder to get a better look at his little sister.

"Dewia moves slowly too, doesn't she?" Ephram asked. Julia smiled and nodded.

"Yes she does Ephram."

"_That'll_ change…" Andy said and he and Julia laughed slightly. 

~


	61. uh, i mean, i need to BORROW a new stick...

"So remind me how freezing off anything I might later find useful is supposed to be _fun_," Jig said as she and Ephram rolled a giant ball through the recent layers of fallen snow. Ephram laughed as they finished rolling it and heaved it up onto the larger ball they had already rolled.

"It's one of those things you get more out of after you're done," he explained. She nodded.

"Like Thomas Mann…" she said. He looked at her surprised. 

"You read Thomas Mann?" he asked her as they started another one. She laughed slightly.

"Amy's reading anything by him she can find, so…"

"So are you…" he finished. She nodded.

"I like talking to Amy. I like it more if I know what the hell she's talking about…" Jig told him. He chuckled slightly and they lifted the third and final ball of snow onto the other two. They both sighed and looked at it.

"This is fun?" she asked him. He smiled and walked over to it. He took two stones out of his pocket and placed them on the head for eyes. Jig sighed and walked over to him as he started placing fives small stones for the mouth. She took a carrot from her pocket and placed it for the snowman's nose. The carrot fell to the ground. Ephram laughed as Jig quickly picked it up and placed it deeper into the snowy head. She nodded and the two took a step backward from it. 

"Our baby," Jig said and Ephram laughed slightly.

"He has your eyes," Ephram said Jig laughed. 

"Yea well, he has your head shape…" she retorted and he laughed. He turned to her. 

"You hated making that didn't you?" Ephram asked her. She laughed slightly. 

"I may never have children again but it wasn't _that_ bad," she said laughing. 

"Yea well, thanks for doing this with me…" he told her. She turned to him. 

"We've been over this Ephram. You're my friend. As long as the sun spins I'll be there for you," she reassured him. He nodded and looked back at the snowman.

"Well, thanks anyway," he told her. She nodded.

"You know of course, if you should receive a call in the middle of the night…" she started. He nodded.

"Don't worry about it," he reassured her laughing slightly. 

~

"Mommy… Steve Duncan made fun of me today…" a small, brown haired girl said rubbing her eye slightly as she walked over to her sympathetic mother. Julia Brown picked the girl up into her arms and wiped away a tear with her thumb.

"Do you think what he said about you is true?" Julia asked her. Delia shook her head. Julia smiled warmly at her young daughter.

"Well that's all that matters Delia. As long as _you_ know what he's saying is wrong, his words can't hurt you," she reassured the small girl, who was now smiling. Delia leaned forward and hugged her mother, thanked her, jumped off of her lap, and ran into the kitchen to attack her older brother. Julia watched the small girl as her brother yelled at her, smiling. Those were her kids.

~

School was over and Delia spoke her first words since that morning. She told Murasaki not to be worried about her, and to go home. Murasaki had hugged her, and obeyed. On the bus ride home Delia just stared out of the window, again wordless. When she got off of the bus Irv followed her with his eyes worriedly until she was safely inside her home. Inside she found her father oddly early, but her brother off somewhere. She never would have imagined him to be off with friends or Desi on a day, on a day like _this_. 

In the kitchen she hoisted herself up onto a stool and Andy placed a plate of cookies in front of her. She looked up from the plate to Andy worriedly. He held his palm up, as if stopping any comment she might make.

"Don't worry, Mama Joy made, I only ordered them," he reassured her. She smiled (the first all day) and picked up a cookie. Andy placed two glasses of milk in front of her and picked up a cookie himself. He took a bite out of it and nodded in approval. Delia did the same. 

"So, do you know where Ephram is?" he asked her. Delia shook her head.

"Jig might…" she mumbled, trying to keep cookie crumbs in her mouth. Andy nodded, figuring the girl was right. He picked up the phone and called the Harper residence. Jig answered.

"Oh hi Dr. Brown, can I help you?" she asked him with some odd sympathetic tone for a phone greeting.

"Uh, yea. Is Ephram there?" he asked her. There was an unusual pause on the other end.

"No, I haven't seen him for a few hours. He said he was going home… He isn't home yet?" she told him. Andy frowned.

"No, no he isn't…" he answered her, even though she had already gathered that. Jig sighed.

"I'll call Desi and whoever else might know. Don't worry Dr. Brown, he's safe, you have my word," Jig reassured him. Andy nodded, though that did little for Jig.

It was already very late and no one had found Ephram. Delia was asleep and Nina was checking in on her. Andy was out searching Everwood for his son. Jig and Desi would have readily joined him, but Edna and Irv didn't want Jig out late, and Desi's parents were still weary from Valentine's Day. But at about eleven all fears were put to rest. Edna and Irv were in bed but Jig was sitting in the living room reading by firelight. If they thought she was going to sleep while her best friend was lost, well, they were freaking nuts. At eleven, almost exactly, there was knocking on the front door. Quickly Jig shot from the couch to the door, knowing the knocker bared news if Ephram was dead or alive. To her surprise, it was Ephram himself. 

He was slumped against the doorframe, his hair a dirty mess and his lip split and bleeding. But, despite his appearance and, smell, he had a grin on his face. A smile conquered Jig's face and she hugged him happily. She frowned, however, when he slumped against her with all of his weight. It was then she noticed the beer smell that stained his clothes and sweat. 

"Hi honey I'm home…" he mumbled into her ear. She sighed and pulled him into the living room, kicking the door shut behind them. She yelled up to Edna and Irv. She yelled so loudly Ephram yelled in pain and leaned off of her and took a few steps away, holding his hands tight around his ears.

"Ow… Don't do that…" he told her. She sighed and took a hold of his hands and led him over to the couch and sat him down. At this time Edna and Irv emerged down the stairs wrapped in their bathrobes. They both looked surprised to see Ephram there, naturally.

"You call the Doc, I'll make some coffee," Edna ordered Irv and he obeyed. Jig knelt on the floor by Ephram's feet and tried to keep him sitting up and awake.

"Oh Ephram you louse. Why'd you…" she said but didn't feel like finishing. Ephram smiled and started laughing at something only he knew of. Jig held her hand to his face and slapped his cheek slightly, trying to bring him back to her living room. His smile turned into a serious look and he placed his hand on hers, pressing it against his cheek. He leaned down closer to her.

"Why haven't we kissed yet?" he asked her. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Because we're not in love," she replied.

"Oh…" he said nodding. He then pressed his eyelids together and looked at her again.

"Why aren't we in love?" he asked her. Jig sighed again.

"Because you like every girl you meet _more_…" she told him.

"Oh…" he said again nodding. He leaned away from her and back against the couch. He released her hand and flew both of his up into the air.

"I love you Desi!" he yelled. Jig sighed and crawled up onto the couch. Ephram was wearing a scarf around his neck, no jacket, but a scarf. She tried to untie the scarf from his neck, but as she was his hand quickly grabbed her wrist and held on to it with a strength she never knew he had. He was almost hurting her. He brought her hand up from his scarf to his face, and smelled it. He smiled and looked at her.

"I like your smell, it's like, butterscotch and leather…" he told her to her surprise. Then, still with a smile, he leaned his head back, let go of her hand, and closed his eyes. Jig, all or mostly unnerved, called his name and tried to wake him. The only response she got was his leaning over and resting on her shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held his pillow tighter.

"I love you, Mommy…" he said and fell sleep. Jig sighed.

"No good can come from this…" she muttered as Edna walked into the room with coffee. 

It's a mostly unknown feeling, one hundred jackhammers in your head, but that's the feeling Ephram had when he woke up the next morning. The morning light burned his eyes but he sat up anyway and looked around. He was laying on a couch with a blanket over him. On one of the two chairs across from the couch sat Andy Brown, his head resting on his fist, asleep. On the other was Jig, balled up and uncomfortable, but asleep as well. Ephram had a bad taste in his mouth and a horrible feeling in his stomach, like he might throw up. The feeling in his stomach grew to be so great, he sprinted from the couch and into the bathroom. 

While he was leaning over the toilet seat Edna walked into the room behind him and leaned against the doorframe, shaking her head. After a few minutes, when his stomach was thoroughly empty, he sat back and turned around to look at her. She leaned off of the doorframe. 

"Take a shower, it'll do you good," she told him and left the room, closing the door behind her. Ephram flushed the toilet, looked at the shower curtain, and began undressing. 

While he was in the shower Ephram heard the bathroom door open and someone walk in. A little nervous he demanded who was there.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, just getting your clothes to wash. You can use the blue bathrobe…" Jig's voice told him, decreasing in volume as she walked out of the room. Ephram quickly turned the water off, grabbed his towel, and ran after her. He caught her in the hallway just outside of the bathroom door. He startled her and she almost dropped his clothes onto the now wet carpeted floor. He released his hold on her arm that he had made to catch her.

"Jig, look, I'm sorry that I-" he started.

"Hey, Brown. Don't worry about it. As long as you pay for my psychiatrist bills later we'll be fine," she joked, laughing slightly at it herself. Ephram frowned both because she was treating it lightly, and because he was _really_ cold. 

"But Jig, you see, I don't _remember_ what I did last night. Did I do anything…?" he asked her but couldn't find the right words. Jig laughed, knowing the right words herself. 

"You said you liked my smell, and called me 'mommy.' That's all…" she reassured him. He frowned anyway.

"I called you 'mommy?' Oh god…" he said with a sigh. She waved it off.

"Don't care Ephram, now, go wash the rest of the shampoo out of your hair, I'll get this stink out of you clothes. And relax. You're troubles are yet to come. Your _father_ is waiting for you in the kitchen…" she said walked away from him. Ephram sighed and walked back into the bathroom, closing the door and locking it. 


	62. i wonder if my dad would let me paint on...

"No Desi I swear, he's fine. His stomach hurts a lot but he'll be fine. Why? Because he got drunk off his ass, Desi! Yea, sorry. Oh, he and Dr. Brown had a long talk. Yea, _long_. Well he wasn't going to ground him, considering everything… 'Considering what?' Uh, well, ask Ephram, or, don't ask Ephram. He'll tell you, I think… Yea just AH!" Jig said into the phone as she walked around the living room. The conversation ended abruptly when Jig slid a window curtain aside and looked out the window. The wireless phone fell to the floor and turned itself off. Irv, Edna, Andy and Ephram ran into the room, hearing her scream. 

"What?" Edna asked her, slightly upset that she wasn't in any danger. Ephram looked out of the window and grimaced.

"That _is_ a lot of snow…" Ephram said, as if hearing the panicked words moving through Jig's mind. Jig nodded, wordlessly. Edna looked out the window and frowned. She turned behind her to the two grown men.

"Irv, go check our supplies, Doc, check the local news…" she order. The two men nodded and Irv disappeared. Andy picked up the remote and turned on the TV. He then stopped and turned to Edna.

"What channel is that?" he asked her. Edna sighed and did it for him. Ephram picked up the phone and slowly moved the panicked Jig away from the window and closed the curtain.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked her. She blinked the utter terror out of her eyes and looked at him.

"Desi…" she replied.

"Desi!" he yelled and held the phone to his ear, calling her name into it. He sighed, realizing it had turned off. He looked at Jig.

"Sorry…" she told him. 

Andy sat on the couch watching the local weather. He glanced over to see his son dialing a phone. Ephram hadn't told him the details about how exactly he had gotten his hands on liquor, but personally Andy didn't want to know… He hadn't grounded Ephram, he couldn't. Ephram had being drinking because of what day it was, because he had been so sad that he wanted to escape. Andy couldn't really punish him for that. All Andy could do, and did, was tell him not to do it again, and if he defied that, then to come home, and not to Jig's house. But mostly, Andy told him not to do it ever again. He also laid down a rule that if Ephram were to be out later then ten, he had to call, even if he was on a date or something. At ten, Ephram _would_ call. 

"So this is a blizzard, huh?" Colin asked as he looked out the window at the mounds of snow that engulfed his house and street. He held a phone to his ear. Amy was on the other end.

"Yea. It's my favorite reason to get out of school," Amy told him and he laughed slightly.

"How long do these things last?" he asked her. She thought about it for a little.

"Well, the last one was about a three or four day driving ban. This one doesn't look that bad. But, these things have a way of sneaking up on you," she explained. He nodded.

"My first snow day," he pointed out.

"Congratulations. At least you got stuck at home…" Amy said. Colin's eyes widened in surprise.

"You're not?"

"Sadly, no. I got stuck at Gino Chang's. My parents decided to have some, family dinner, or something…"

"Gino Chang… I've been there before, right?"

"Yea, we had dinner here last week."

"Oh! Right, the Italian Chinese place. Weird…"

"No kidding, I spent last night on a futon. Oh, a futon is like a thin-"

"I know what a futon is."

"Oh, sorry…" she said and fell silent. Colin laughed a little to cheer her up.

"Hey don't worry about it, Amy. I only learned about it yesterday. Laynie was watching the Travel Channel again," he reassured her. 

"Oh," she said and smiled, "well, if she ever thinks of sleeping on one, tell her she might want to change her mind."

"Okay, I will," he told her laughing slightly, "so how's Bright holding up?" he asked her. She laughed slightly.

"Gemma was here on a date…" she told him. Colin flinched.

"Any blood shed?"

"Not yet, but we're on stand by."

"I bet Gino's sales are going up."

"Actually, he's being really nice about it. He's not charging us for anything."

"That doesn't seem like a smart business move."

"Well he's probably thinking of it as an opportunity to build loyal customers."

"Oh yea, want to keep them away from that _other_ Chinese slash Italian restaurant," Colin said and Amy laughed slightly.

"Alright, alright, good point. Maybe he's just being nice."

"Maybe. Well hey, my dad needs to use the phone so, call me later, okay?"

"Yea, I will. Say hi to Laynie for me."

"I will. Say hi to Bright for me."

"I will. Talk to you later."

"Bye Amy," Colin said and hung up. He handed his father the phone and walked up to his room. 

Ephram lay on the Harper's couch still clad in a blue bathrobe, and reading some of Jig's manga collection. He was surprised by how small her collection was, actually. It was half the size of his. He looked up as a pile of clothes fell on his lap. 

"Here are your clothes," Jig said as she set the basket filled with clothes she was carrying on the couch armrest. Ephram almost laughed looking at her in her 'housekeeper' mode with her sleeves rolled up and an orange bandana wrapped around her head. 

"Aw, and the bathrobe was doing wonders for my image," he told her, looking through the pile of clothes on his lap. She laughed.

"Sorry Mr. Hefner," she said and turned to walk away with her basket.

"Uh Jig," he called after her. She turned around and sighed embarrassed when she saw the bra he was pulling out of the pile of clothes she had thrown on him. She walked over, grabbed it from his hand, and threw it in her basket.

"That never happened," she told him. He nodded.

"Right," he said, but laughed as she walked away toward her room. 

Delia sat at Nina's kitchen counter with Meredith in her lap. Sam sat next to her and together the three of them watched Nina making them lunch. Sam directed most of his attention to the sandwiches while the majority of Delia's attention went to the baby cooing in her arms. Meredith took a few locks of Delia's hair into her hand and pulled slightly. Delia cringed but remained silent. She held the baby's hand and slowly removed her hair from the baby's grasp. 

"Oh, sorry about that. Meredith has this thing for hair," Nina apologized. 

"It's okay, it didn't hurt…" Delia reassured her.

"She pulls Mommy's hair all the time," Sam told her.

"Yea she's a little devil. Here you go guys. Give her to me," Nina said placing plates in front of the two and taking Meredith from Delia. The phone rang and Nina picked it up, Meredith taking a firm hold of a lock of her hair.

"Hello?" she asked into the phone, holding it against her face with her shoulder, freeing her hand to remove her hair from the baby's grasp. 

"Oh, hi Andy. She's fine, we're just sitting down for lunch. No, it's no problem, really. She's been great. We have a spare room for her. Yea. Yea. I'll have her call you back when she's done. Okay, Yea that's fine. You're at Edna and Irv's right? That must be fun. Yea, okay. Talk to you later Andy," Nina said and hung up. She walked over and set Meredith down in her high chair and placed a bowl of food in front of her. The phone rang again and Nina sighed and picked it up.

"I told you she's fine, Andy. Oh! Carl! I'm sorry, I just- Well we're snowed in and I'm looking after his kid. Probably. A week, why? What? You are? Oh honey that's great! No, no, I'll get him right now. Do you want to talk to him? Oh, okay here he is. Sam, wanna talk to your daddy?" Nina asked. Sam yelled out in the affirmative, jumped from his seat, and over to the phone. She handed it to him and he started chattering away in it. Nina walked back over to Meredith with a wide smile taking over her lips. She turned to Delia, who was smiling at her, not wanting to ruin her good mood.

"Carl's coming home. My husband's coming home…" she said rubbing the back of Meredith's head gently. 

"I'm glad," Delia told her. Nina let out a small laugh and covered her face with her hand, as if she was some teenage girl, concealing a blush.

"Thank you," Nina said placing a bottle in front of Meredith.

Desi was taking this time away from school to sit herself in front of her computer, typing away at what she was sure would become a world renown story someday. She was just on the verge of finishing it to. Kamala was facing down the man who had set her up. In her mind Desi could see the setting, the flow of Kamala's clothes as her legs and arms swung in a disciplined and effective manner. Desi could see the fight scene playing in front of her. The loud heartbeats, the swift movements, the sound of flesh against flesh, pounding mercilessly at each other, fighting for honor and revenge. Desi could see it as she knew she could never describe it. She hated that. She could imagine such great scenes in her mind, but she couldn't write it. When she had to adapt it to a screenplay, it'd be worse. Maybe she could direct it too. Then she could bring her images to life like she wants to. Desi sighed and saved her novel. A movie was a long way off, though.


	63. the whole ephram and jig relationship co...

As the night crept upon the town of Everwood, a problem in the Harper household made itself known. That night, the house had one guestroom, and two guests. 

"I'm not sleeping in the same bed as my dad!" Ephram yelled. Jig sighed. The two were in her room, Jig on the bed, Ephram pacing back and forth in front of her. 

"Well would you rather sleep in the living room, Ephram?" she asked him. He sighed and looked at her.

"The couch gives me a backache…" he confessed. Jig nodded.

"Well then, shut the hell up," she told him. He chuckled slightly and sat down next to her on the bed.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't gotten piss drunk I'd be at home now…" he said, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. She looked at him, smiling sympathetically.

"I wish you could remember what you did last night. I'd like to know why you came here instead of going home," she said. He laughed slightly.

"Probably because you'd be nice about it. My dad would have gone nuts."

"Well, why didn't you go to Desi?" she asked him. He inhaled heavily and than exhaled.

"A number of reasons, I suppose. That house's security guards probably would not have let me in, and, well, she wouldn't understand like you would," he said, looking at her. She smiled and leaned on him a little.

"There is something I didn't tell you about last night. You asked me why you and I didn't love each other," Jig confessed. Ephram looked at her and then at the ground, shaking his head.

"I'm so sorry…" he said. She patted his back.

"No worries babe. After you asked me that, you yelled 'I love you Desi' at the ceiling," she told him and he laughed slightly. 

"What are the chances of Desi having heard that?" he asked her. 

"Hm. Slim to nil," she responded and he laughed and turned to her.

"Thanks, though, really. You're great," he told her. She shrugged.

"Well, I'm no Skug, but I think I do very well for myself," she said and he laughed. 

"Skug has nothing against you Jig. You're the best friend I've ever had," he told her. She smiled.

"So far, you mean," she corrected him. He shook his head.

"Forever," he said. She smiled and leaned on him again.

"I'd say something right now, but we're being spied on," she said and they both looked at her door to see a small figure move away from the slight crack. They both laughed slightly and turned back to each other. 

"Ein really hates your guts, Ephram," Jig informed him. He nodded.

"I know. It's mutual." 

Ein moseyed down the hallway into the living room, and over to where the three older people in the house were gathered around a Monopoly board. Edna was unhappy with the way things were going, but Irv was happy as could be. Andy was beating them both. And he did it was a smile, too, like it was just a game, which it was, just not for Edna. 

"You know, when I was a kid, I used to think this game was boring. Star would beat me time after time after time. I thought I was the _worst_ player in the world. But I guess I'm pretty good at it, huh?" Andy asked, obviously not hearing the loud sound made by Edna's teeth grinding together. Irv cleared his throat and rolled the dice. He moved his spot onto one of Edna's properties.

"Oh look honey, I own you money. But, I'm fresh out, so I'll just sell one of my properties here, and there you go," he said handing it to her. Edna had been preoccupied staring angrily at Andy, but when Irv had the money ready for her she took it, and made sure Andy knew she took it. Ein jumped up onto Irv's armrest and Irv pet the creature slightly. Ein, sensing the tension coming from Edna, leapt onto the Monopoly board, picked Andy's piece in his mouth, and ran off. 

With the three older occupants of the house after him, Ein bounded around the house, up the stairs, down the stairs, in the kitchen, down hallways, and over the Monopoly board a few times, making it impossible to tell what had been where and who owned what. By the time they caught him, Ein gave them the piece willing and went off in search of Jig. The three grown ups surveyed the damage done to their game. Irv was happy that it was over, not that he didn't enjoy seeing someone beat the player who had beaten him so often. Andy was disappointed, but not immensely so. And Edna, well, there are no words. 

Ein found the love of his life in the guestroom with Ephram, putting new sheets on the bed. When they had a sheet on Ein jumped up and laid down on it.

"Ein!" Jig yelled. She picked him up and threw him onto the floor. She then smoothened the part he had been laying on. She and Ephram then placed the quilt on the bed and tucked it in at the appropriate spots. When they were done this time Ein again jumped onto the bed and laid down. Jig picked him up again, but instead of putting him on the floor, she kept him in her arms and stroked his back. Ein was happier in his love's arms then he ever could have been on the bed. 

Early the next morning, at about three or four, Ephram lay awake in the bed he shared with his father. His eyes were wide open and he hands shook slightly. The loud and irregular snoring that resonated from within the soft palate of his father's nose had kept Ephram up all night. The living room would have been bliss. 

When the clock in the guestroom struck four, and Ephram was still without sleep, he grabbed his pillow and stormed from the room. He made his way down the hall and to Jig's door. He didn't bother knocking, he just opened the door and walked in. For a moment he smiled, seeing Jig laying there, like some angel who snuck in when no one was looking. But, he quickly got over that and walked over to her bed. He lifted up the blanket, waking her.

"Ephram?" she asked too tired to be overly surprised, and too tired stop him from getting into the bed with her and laying down, covering himself with the blanket.

"It was your idea I sleep in that room," he told her, obviously not pleased with her for it. Her eyes slanted to look both tired and worried.

"Haven't you gotten any sleep?" she asked him.

"None."

"Oh poor baby," she said running her fingers down the side of his face. She then closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

For the most part, Ephram felt no anxiety about sleeping in the same bed with a girl. Mostly because this wasn't a girl, this was Jig. For some strange reason, the fact that he was a boy, and she was a girl, never affected either of them. Gender issues had never been made much of between them. Actually, the only things that Jig and other girls seemed to have in common only made themselves known somewhat recently, with him finding her bra and what he had evidently said to her the previous night. Even when she was dating his cousin, it had never occurred to him that Jig was, in fact, a girl. But now, as he watched her sleep, with her soft hair laying around her, a small smile on her face, a smooth white nightgown on, and being so close to her that he was surrounded by her warmth… she was still just Jig. It was weird. If Ephram had any normal instincts in him at all, he would wrap his arms around her and kiss her, but he felt no urge to. None at all. It frightened him, but at this time he was too tired to care, so he fell asleep. 

When Andy woke up the next morning he found himself sprawled across the entire length of the bed. He sat up and looked over the sides of it, in case he had shoved Ephram off in the middle of the night. But, the malcontent teenager was no where to be seen.

"Ephram?" Andy asked, a little confused, but not worried. 

Despite not falling asleep until four, Ephram woke up at nine. He felt warm, and soft. He smiled as he made sounds signifying that he was waking up. Ephram moved his head slightly and felt something brush against the left side of his face as he did so. He then look over to his left to find Jig's hand there, her fingers outstretching just enough to grace the side of his face if he moved slightly. His eyes then followed the arm draped across his chest and over to his right, where Jig lay asleep on her stomach, facing away from him. He sighed and lifted one of his hands and ran his finger on the back of her neck, which was visible as she laid there. Her shoulder blades contracted and she shot up quickly as the shiver ran all through her body. She now prompted herself up by her arms at full length. She looked over and down at Ephram who was smiling at her. It took her a few moments to remember what had happened five hours prior. She sat on her bed and looked at him.

"It's been so long since I've had a guy in my bed…" she told him. He laughed slightly.

"You make it sound so naughty," he told her. She rolled her eyes.

"Get off," she said and pushed him off her bed. 

When Amy woke up that morning she groaned as she placed her back into the normal position it had moved out of during the night. Whoever invented the futon should _die_. Amy sighed as she straightened her shirt and pants that she knew would smell like lasagna for weeks. Bright was confined to a corner by Gino Chang himself after Bright and Gemma's date had gotten in a fight. Bright won, though, and he got Gemma back too. Gemma confined herself to Bright's corner. Her poor date had a split lip, so, in a way, it was good Gemma went back to Bright. She'd probably try to kiss his split lip, which would only hurt him worse. Amy's mom was on the phone frantically calling plow trucks and salting trucks and every snow removal vehicle known to man. That's what her mom did, while the actual Mayor was conveniently away at a meeting in Denver. As much as the Abbotts were meant to hate Mayor Quincampoix, they never could, at least, not completely. Whenever her mom did something like this, taking on his job, especially in emergencies like this, he gave her a huge raise, or a bonus. He never took advantage of her. But, she was still going to cream him at the next election. 


	64. i call this my monkey chapter

Ephram sat at the piano in the Harper's house, playing a song lodged very well into his memory. It was Mozart, or someone. A few yards behind him Andy stood watching his son, nodding his head in amazement as the music filled the entire house. Jig stood next to him, smiling at her friend's talent, and holding a phone in her hand. Desi was on the other end, listening. She was going through some type of, Ephram withdrawal, or something, and Jig was humoring her. 

When Ephram was finished playing Andy clapped and Jig voiced her enjoyment, unable to clap. Ephram stood up, bowed jokingly, and walked over to Jig. She handed him the phone and he held it to his ear and walked away from them. Andy chuckled slightly. 

"Ah to be young and in love," Andy said. Jig laughed slightly.

"I have enough trouble with just the first one," Jig told him and he smiled. 

"Any news from Orrie?" he asked her.

"A letter or two."

"That's good. How are your legs?"

"Fully healed. Haven't had any problems for a while," she said. He nodded and looked down at her.

"Thanks for taking care of him," Andy told her. She waved it off.

"It seemed like he needed me," she reassured him.

"No, I mean, for _always_ taking care of him," Andy specified. Jig smiled.

"I know," she told him. He chuckled and shook his head. 

Desi was currently suffering from an extreme case of boredom. Her parents made her get off the phone, and she wasn't in a writing mood. So, she sat at her desk, painting her fingernails and toenails with White Out. Ah the pastimes of the bored. Desi had never painted her nails with a tiny sponge things before, it was interesting, but easier. She didn't have to worry about a stray bristle ruining the look. Plus the sponge was even and symmetrical; she didn't have to worry about the odd shape of it. God she was bored…

Since they had all of this spare time on their hands, Jig, again in "house keeper mode" complete with handkerchief, decided to take down the curtains and wash them. Back in LA Jig was in charge of cleaning the house, since her mom had to work so much. She really couldn't stand it if she had free time and there was work to be done. The truth of the matter was, Jig never really had free time. She was always working, or cleaning, or doing schoolwork, or practicing music, now that she had free time, she really didn't know what to do. So she did the curtains. Maybe after she washed them she'd stitch them up a little, they could use it. Anyway, she walked into the guestroom and gasped seeing Ephram sprawled out on the bed, asleep. Quietly she walked over to the curtains, placed her ladder, and removed them. As she carried the basket and ladder out of the room, passing by Ephram in the bed, she bit her lower lip. This was definitely something she could build mischief on.

It was about four when Ephram woke up. He felt better than he had before he took the nap, and he felt hungry. No one had let him eat anything but soda crackers so far, and he was hungry for something a little less good for him. He yawned loudly and opened his eyes. He let out a large gasp as he stared into the eyes of a giant stuffed monkey in the bed next to him. He then calmed down as he recognized the thing. Jig had won it at some winter festival or something. He sighed and picked it up as he got out of bed. He did for a second turn behind him and noticed that the curtains were missing, but he was too preoccupied with the monkey to really care. 

He carried the monkey down the hall and into the living room where Edna, Irv, and Andy were watching TV.

"Have you seen Jig?" he asked them. Edna turned to look at him while the men continued to watch what was evidently a hockey game. 

"She's taking a shower upstairs," Edna told him. He nodded and hopped up the stairs, still with the monkey.

Of course he had no intention of disturbing Jig's shower. Actually the thought of doing so made him cringe. He liked Jig, and he liked Jig best when she was fully clothed. But, just to get back at her for the monkey in his bed, he sat the monkey right in front of the bathroom door and went back downstairs, waiting for her screams. 

Well Jig didn't scream, she just smirked, grabbed the monkey, and walked downstairs. The other four people in the house were gathered around the TV watching the Rangers beating the Sabres. She dumped the monkey on Ephram's lap and went into her room to change. Ephram only hugged the monkey and continued watching the game, not answering any of the looks he received from the other three. 

"Well the food must be good," Jig said in the phone as she stood in front of a mirror, holding a shirt to herself, seeing how it looked. Amy was on the other end of the phone.

"It is, but you get tired of it after awhile. So how are things going there?" Amy asked her. Jig sighed.

"Okay I guess. I'm actually beginning to miss fresh air, I've grown accustomed to it," Jig told her and Amy smiled.

"I can imagine Ephram is having the same problem," Amy said. 

"Yea well, how's Colin?" Jig asked, not forgetting the fact that once, Ephram loved Amy.

"Oh he's fine. It's his first blizzard," Amy said smiling. Jig smiled too.

"Yea, I've had more experience with them than he has. How'd that happen?" Jig asked and Amy laughed slightly. 

"Through an odd turn of events…" Amy said and they both fell silent for a few moments, remembering those events. Then Amy spoke up.

"So what are you doing now?" she asked.

"I'm talking to you on the phone," Jig told her. Amy laughed.

"No, I mean, besides talking to me…"

"Oh. I'm getting dressed; I just got out of the shower. What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to solve the maze on this place mat," Amy said and Jig laughed.

"I hope you get out okay," Jig said and Amy laughed.

"Thanks I appreciate it." 

"Oh hold on," Jig said as she placed the phone down and put on a T-shirt. She picked the phone up again.

"Okay, where were we?" Jig asked her.

"I think this place is haunted," Amy said. Jig narrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Did you continue the conversation without me?" Jig asked her and Amy laughed.

"No, new topic. At night there are these sounds like someone is walking around upstairs," Amy explained. 

"So, people are probably walking around upstairs."

"Yea, but by upstairs I mean the roof," Amy said. Jig bit her lower lip. 

"Well then why didn't you just say the roof?" 

"I don't know… Anyway, it's creepy. I mean, there's three feet of snow on the roof!" Amy told her.

"Well I don't think it's ghosts."

"Then what do you think it is?"

"Well if it's anything it's the abominable snowman," Jig said. Amy sighed smirking.

"Finish changing Jig, I'll talk to you later."

"See ya Amy," Jig said smiling and then both hung up. Jig finished dressing and walked out of her room. 

"Oh, watch it! Watch it!" Ephram yelled as he, Jig, and Andy tried setting up an old army cot in Jig's room, so Ephram could get a good night's sleep. Jig yelled out in surprise and stepped backward as a metal bar flung up. She frowned as she clutched her left hand.

"Ow…" she whined. Andy walked over to her. 

"Let me see," he told her. She showed him her left hand, or more specifically, the cut on it. 

"That looks like it hurt," he told her. She nodded.

"Come with me into the bathroom, I'll clean it for you," he told her.

"Thanks Doc," she said, giving Andy pause, as Jig without knowing had sounded much like Edna for the moment. 

"No problem. Ephram, don't hurt yourself," Andy said. Ephram frowned as his whining best friend and father left the room. He sighed and gave the somewhat organized pile of metal and cloth in front of him a kick. The result of the kick was a piece of metal springing up, causing Ephram to fall backward onto the floor in surprise. 

Irv, Edna, and Andy were sitting in the living room, the two younger residents already to bed. The three decided against playing Monopoly again, for the general well being of all. They were playing poker instead. Edna was winning, and whether that was by chance or by plan no one discussed. Every now and then Andy would glance backward at Jig's door, then back to his cards and sigh, shaking his head. 

"They're fine Doc," Edna reassured him. Andy looked at her and nodded, with a quick glance back to Jig's door.

"I know, that's what worries me. He's a fifteen-year old boy sleeping in the same room as a fifteen-year-old girl and I have no doubt that they're fine. That worries me…" Andy confessed. Edna and Irv chuckled slightly.

"Would it help if you thought of it as Ephram being loyal to Desi?" Edna asked him. Andy thought about it for a second or two and nodded, satisfied.

"Yes! Yes it would. There's nothing wrong with him, he's just a loyal and trustworthy person, I like that."

"Good, now how many cards do you want?" Edna asked him.

"Oh, two," he said trading his cards for the ones she handed him. 

"When Mack was here he'd have a new girlfriend every week. He must have dated half the high school by the time he graduated," Irv said chuckling slightly. 

"The female half right?" Edna asked him and he chuckled again. 

"Yea. Geez that boy couldn't keep a girlfriend…"

"Linda was the same way with boys. We must have eaten with every single boy in that school at some point or another," Edna said. 

"How is Linda?" Irv asked her. Edna nodded.

"She's good, still in Seattle."

"Which novel is she on now?"

"The sixth."

"Wow…" Irv said shaking his head. Andy watched the two of them smiling. He had heard of Linda Abbott before, but nothing much past it, so he found this conversation interesting. 

"Wasn't there a movie deal in the works for one of them?" Irv asked her.

"It fell through. She doesn't care though, they would have butchered it."

"Hm, I hate it when they do that. Why didn't she come up for Christmas?"

"In Paris," Edna explained. Andy nodded.

"Paris is good that time of year," Andy told them. They both looked at him. He cleared his throat. 

"Three cards," he said placing his discards on the table. 


	65. i'm henry the eighth i am i am

"Favorite Sailor Scout…" Ephram said. Since he had taken the nap earlier in the day, he couldn't sleep now, for irony. Jig on the other hand, was ready to kill him if he didn't let her get some sleep. 

"What kind of a question is that for a guy to ask?" she moaned in reply.

"A completely perverted one. Now answer it," he told her. She sighed.

"Pluto."

"Pluto?" he repeated, surprised.

"Yea, she has the coolest attack, the most mystery, best costume, and her skin is the best color. Plus the key staff," Jig explained. Ephram nodded, though she couldn't see, since his cot was over by her dresser.

"I like Jupiter."

"For completely perverted reasons?"

"Yea, something like that," he said laughing slightly. He then fell silent and Jig hoped it would last. But, for the first time in their relationship, Ephram disappointed her.

"I owe all of my happiness to Amy…" he said seemingly out of no where. Jig sighed aggravated. 

"How the hell do you come up with _that?" she demanded. _

"Well, if it weren't for her, we'd never be friends," he said. Jig fell silent, thinking. Then she sighed.

"I still don't get it.

"Do you remember when we first met?" he asked. Jig fell into thought again.

"It was lunch. I was looking around for a place to sit. Amy had asked me to sit at her table, but I didn't think those were the people I wanted to be associated with. Boy was that ever a good decision. Then I saw this table with only one person sitting at it, it was you, and you looked kind of down. So I asked you what was wrong."

"What did I say?"

" 'I'm in love with a girl who's in love with a guy in a coma…' "

"See, _Amy."_

"Well, yea. But then I made a Ranma reference, and my notebook…" Jig pointed out. Ephram laughed at the memory.

"You called me a 'man of quality,' " he pointed out and Jig laughed. 

"So I did…"

"Okay, but the beginning of our friendship revolved around you helping me with Amy. Talking to her, being my little spy."

"I broke into you locker…"

"And have since then…" he added and she laughed a little. 

"But, too, Ephram, it was anime. Do you remember why I was helping you with Amy?"

"Gundams, wasn't it?" 

"Yea," she said laughing. They fell silent for a few moments.

"You said it was hopeless…"

"What was hopeless?"

"My feelings for Amy," he said and Jig fell silent. 

"I kicked you in the shin…" Jig said. Ephram laughed. 

"I limped for a week."

"Then you and Amy went on a date…" Jig said and Ephram fell silent.

"That was a long time ago," he said and Jig nodded, though he couldn't see her. 

"I owe Desi to Amy too…" Ephram added. Jig sighed.

"Enough with this!"

"It was Halloween that really made me like Desi. And it was Amy who asked me go with them," Ephram said. Jig sighed.

"I broke Bright's nose…" she said and the two laughed.

"I'll never forget watching his feet fly over his head like that," Ephram said. Jig laughed.

"It was his damn fault too, jumping out at us like that."

"That was great…" Ephram said smiling at the memory. 

"We've had a lot of fun, haven't we, Ephram?" Jig asked.

"I suppose you could call it that," he said and they both laughed slightly. 

"Ephram…"

"Yea?"

"I really need some sleep."

"Goodnight, Jig."

"Night."

Andy couldn't sleep either, showing how much like his son he was. Julia crept back into his mind. A few days over one year. He tried to sleep, but the image of her face kept coming to him, keeping him up. There was a bookshelf in the guest room and he found a book that would keep his mind off the only woman he's ever loved. The History of England. The book must have been used by Irv's father back in the day. The cover was a dark blue, and the writing on the front and binding at worn away so Andy had to look on the title page to see what it was about. Currently he was reading the section of Henry the Eighth. In grade school he had been the only person in his class to remember all of his wives. Catherine of Aragon had been Henry's brother's wife but he died so Henry married her when he became king. They were both teenagers at the time. He divorced her after about 20 years of marriage, becoming the head of the Catholic Church to do so. He then married Anne Boleyn. She produced no sons so he accused her of adultery (divorce being too messy) and for some reason she went along with it. She was beheaded in one blow by a swordsman instead of by the axe. Then Henry married Jane Seymour who bore Henry his only male heir Edward, she died a few days later. Then he married Anne of Cleves by arrangement, and divorced her. Evidently when the lights are out, not _all ladies are fair… Then Henry married Catherine Howard who did actually cheat on him, a lot. She got the axe. Actually, the night before her execution she ordered the block to be sent to her room so she could practice kneeling… Then he married Catherine Parr, who outlived him. What about that was so hard for people to remember?_

In the middle of the night Ephram made the mistake of turning over onto his side. Luckily he was awakened by the loud creaking and was able to brace himself when the elderly coat collapsed underneath him. He let out a yell as he hit the floor with a loud clash. Jig shot up in her bed and crawled to the foot of it, to get a better look at the wreckage.

"Are you okay?" she asked him worriedly. He sighed and sat up, unhurt. He turned to her.

"I spend incredibly too much time on your floor…" he told her. Jig smiled, partially because it was funny, and partially because he was alright. 

"If Desi asks that's where you spent the night, come on up," Jig said. Ephram grabbed his pillows and blankets and jumped onto Jig's bed so his head was at her feet and vice versa. Jig let out a sigh.

"You do realize how lucky you are to have Desi, right? There aren't a lot of girls who'd be okay with you and I being friends," she said. Ephram scoffed. 

"I wouldn't date a girl dumb enough to think I ever looked at you as a girl…" Ephram said. Jig raised her eyebrows.

"You've never looked at me as a girl?"

"Never."

"Never?"

"Never."

"Not even when I kissed you?" Jig asked. Ephram bit his lower lip and fell silent. 

"Okay maybe once…"

"What about on Halloween, when I wore that dress?" Jig asked. Ephram bit his lip again.

"For a second…"

"And when I got my hair cut?"

"That _scared me!" Ephram said. _

"Scared you? How did getting my hair cut_ scare_ you?" she asked, not completely believing him. 

"I was scared for a moment there that you'd become a girl to me, and that I had lost my best friend forever…" Ephram admitted.

"Awww…" Jig said patting his shin.

"You know that the really funny part is though…"

"Your girlfriend cut my hair…"

"Yea! Was she trying to test me or something?"

"I think you passed."

"I know I did. Hey Jig…"

"Yea?"

"Have you ever looked at me as a guy?" he asked her. Jig's eyes widened in surprise, but since they were both facing upward at the ceiling, Ephram didn't notice. She bit her lip.

"Never."

"I don't believe you…" he said. Jig sighed angrily. 

"Okay, fine, that first day, sitting behind you in History class, I thought you were kind of cute. Keep in mind this is _before_ I got to know you," she admitted. He chuckled slightly. 

"You thought I was cute? Well, Jig, I don't know what to say…" he joked. She sighed angrily again.

"You're such a shmuck!" she said and shoved him off her bed. Once on the floor he sat up and looked over the bed at her.

"You lack a flare for the dramatic, you know?" he asked her. She kicked his pillow into his face. 

"Goodnight Don Juan!" she told him. He smiled sleepily, and fell asleep on the floor next to Jig's bed.


	66. We real cool We

Not tempted to spend yet another day at Gino Chang's, Rose Abbott called in favors during the night, and by morning the streets of Everwood were cleared. The people of Everwood rejoiced, and poor Gino had a lot to clean up. Every house in Everwood was now empty, the trapped inhabitants out enjoying the fresh air and restocking supplies in case of another blizzard. But for the most part, getting out and into the open air was the main thing on everyone's minds. 

On one of Everwood's less busy streets Amy and Jig walked along, both wanting to get out and Jig down right afraid to walk on the icy path alone. Amy didn't mind though, she was out of Gino Chang's and Jig was making her laugh. Amy didn't mind admitting that watching Jig slip and occasionally fall on the ice and snow was funny, except when she pulled Amy down with her, of course. 

"Who ever invented ice should _die!" Jig yelled as she just barely kept her balance._

"Uh Jig…" Amy told her. Jig frowned at her.

"What do you mean no one _invented ice? Are you suggesting it's some _naturally occurring_ form of torture that _isn't_ actually out to get me? Is _that_ what you're trying to tell me, Amy?" Jig asked. Amy laughed slightly. _

"Something like that," she said smiling. Jig scoffed.

"You and your silly ideas Amy," Jig told her shaking her head. The two then laughed.

"Man it must have been great living in LA. Tank tops all year long," Amy said smiling. Jig forced a smile but then dropped it. 

"You know until I moved to Everwood I didn't own a piece of clothing that wasn't white," Jig told her. Amy raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" she asked confused.

"Because white is a neutral color. You wear white you don't get shot. You wouldn't like living in LA, Amy. At least not in my part of it…" Jig told her. Amy simply nodded and turned away from her cousin. She stopped walking and sighed, looking down the sidewalk ahead of them. Jig stopped and looked too. She sighed.

"No shame what so ever…" she said. Plastered against a tree a few yards from the two were Ephram and Desi. They were so close together, meshed so perfectly it was like their bodies were made to interlock, that it was hard to distinguish between Ephram, Desi, and the tree.

"Do they do that all the time?" Amy asked Jig, leaning close so no one would overhear her prying curiosity. 

"Not usually in public… But they've been apart for a few days, doing that is like drugs for the two of them. There's always at it," Jig said shrugging. Amy bit her lower lip and sighed softly, but it was still audible to Jig. 

"You had your chance at him Amy, you threw him back," Jig reminded her. Amy nodded. 

"Yea. Hey, you had a chance at him too, why didn't you keep him?" Amy asked her.

"Because he loved _you, Amy. And when he was over you it was because of Desi-"_

"So you didn't even get a chance…" Amy finished for her. Jig sighed.

"Actually, I never thought about it. I had other things on my mind at that point…" Jig said solemnly. Amy nodded.

"Right, sorry. Look, this is probably a silly question, but, does he know? About your mom, I mean…" Amy asked delicately. Jig nodded.

"Yea, I told him back in, sheesh… November. Yea, early November, right after Cory got here," Jig said.

"Wow, that's been awhile then," Amy commented. Jig nodded her head.

"Yea. Hey, what's with the recent bout of nostalgia that's been going around?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well yesterday Ephram and I were talking about when we first met and stuff…" Jig explained. Amy shrugged. 

"Snow can sometimes make you think about days gone by, maybe," Amy suggested. Jig nodded her head.

"Maybe. It's still weird though… Thinking back at things I've done, and not having them been in LA… It's kind of freaky…" Jig confessed. Amy shrugged, not really knowing the feeling herself.

"Your life has taken many a strange turn, Jig," Amy told her and Jig laughed slightly.

"That's a nice way of putting it," she said and they both laughed a little.

"So any word from your traveling man?" Amy asked her.

"Who? Isaac? Or Orrie?"

"Isaac, or, both, I suppose…" Amy said giving it a second thought.

"Orrie, yes. His father's getting married…"

"Oh, that sounds troublesome."

"Not really, she's a nice woman, a photographer who speaks four languages including Japanese. Orrie likes her."

"That's good. What about Isaac?"

"Nothing, as usual. He's in Paris somewhere fil- never mind…" Jig said. Amy sighed.

"I'm going to find out about him eventually so you may as well tell me!"

"Na uh. You have your secrets, I have mine…" Jig told her. Amy frowned.

"What are you talking about? I don't have any secrets…"

"I have a photo album at home that says differently," Jig told her with a smirk. Amy stood still, a little worry in her face, but Jig kept walking, smugness on her face. After a few moments Amy realized Jig was ahead of her.

"Hey Jig! Wait up!" Amy yelled and ran carefully on the icy sidewalk after her. 

Delia smiled as she walked around her room. It felt good to be home. Nina's house was great, it was very clean and the entire house smelled like cookies, but it just wasn't home. The first thing Delia did when she got home was go upstairs and change her clothes and of course, her baseball cap. Now she wore the cap Murasaki had given her. She laid down on her bed for a few moments, enjoying the feel of it again, and the smell. She was always surprised about how each house, for some reason, has a different smell. When they first arrived in Everwood, back in the beginning of time, Delia had cried as she unpacked her boxes. With the opening of every box came a wave of smell of their old home, of their old lives. Her blankets smelled like her old room even a few weeks after they had moved in. Ephram's had too, Delia knew that, because a few days after they first moved here, he bought new sheets, new blankets, and washed all of his clothes three times. Despite how Ephram seemed to want to keep a hold of his old life back then, he didn't want to be surrounded by it. That's how Delia had always thought of it, anyway.

Andy was glad to be outside. He was glad to get something in his stomach that wasn't microwaved, which was the dominant form of food he received at the Harper residence. He had offered to take Delia with him to Mama Joy's, but she wanted to be at home for this time, with Ephram out with Desi Andy asked Nina to check in on Delia every now and then, and he would call to make sure she was okay. He might only be out for twenty minutes or maybe longer, but he wasn't about to take chances with his second born.

Mama Joy's was as busy as Andy had ever seen it. The waitress, the one who wasn't Nina, was moving so quickly from table to table you'd need a camera with an incredible shutter speed to see her feet touch the ground. Dr. Abbott was sitting at his usual spot at the counter, talking casually amongst sips of his coffee to the familiar brown haired woman sitting next to him. He was just finishing but it looked as though she had just arrived, still a full plate of food in front of her. As Andy hung his coat up Dr. Abbott placed some money on the counter and stood up. He said good bye to Penny Laderer, the woman sitting next to him, and walked over toward Andy to pick up his own coat. Andy smoothly slid out of his way and into the spot Dr. Abbott had been sitting just as the light footed waitress took away Dr. Abbott's plate and swept the counter with a damp cloth. Andy turned to Penny who hadn't noticed him, but seemed content simply eating her hash browns and scrambled eggs. The waitress came over to him as the wind and took his order of chicken fingers with fries and coffee. The sound of his voice made Penny look up and notice him sitting next to her.

"Chicken fingers? A big time, New York City neurosurgeon, eats _chicken fingers?" she asked him. He chuckled slightly. _

"Up until a few years ago I got chocolate milk too," he said and she smiled. She shook her head, laughing slightly, and looked down at her plate. Then she looked back at him, a smile still spreading her lips.

"It's always nice to hear that people aren't who you think they are," she told him. He smiled back at her, not really understanding what she meant, but telling by her face that it was a smiling occasion. Penny laughed slightly, looking into Andy's eyes and seeing no connections being made.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"Not truthfully, no…" he said and she laughed. She placed her fork down.

"Okay it's like this… You hear a lot about a person, you've even met them a few times, so you set up this idea of them in your mind. That's just natural. But, it's still nice to learn that you're wrong about them," she explained. Andy nodded.

"But only if your idea of them was negative…" he pointed out. She shook her head.

"Not all of the time. Sometimes just being wrong is good for a person…" she told him and he smiled.

"So, was your idea of me positive, or negative?" he asked her. She smirked.

"I haven't decided yet…" 


	67. Left school We

On the morning of February 27th Jig yawned as she woke up. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat on the edge for a few moments as she felt for the switch on the lamp next to her. She still couldn't believe how dark a morning could be. There was always light in LA. After she turned on the lamp she safely made her way over to the wall switch and lit up the entire room. She walked past her mirror to her closet and made the mistake of looking in it. She jumped in surprise at her appearance and tried to pat down her stray hairs with her hand, an act which was ultimately useless. She mumbled something to herself, it being too early to form actual words and thoughts. 

Fifteen minutes later Jig emerged from her room dressed and combed in the proper places. She was still tired and yawned as she made her way down the hallway to the living room. When she reached the threshold she stopped, her mouth hanging open either from a yawn or from shock. 

The living room was filled with California poppies. All over the floor, on every chair, sofa, table, all over the fireplace mantel and the piano, everything in the room was filled and covered with bright yellow and orange California poppies. Jig walked slowly into the room, gazing shocked at all of the flowers around her. Carefully she pulled one flower away from the others, holding it in her hands, making sure the beauty was real. 

"What the Hell?" she asked under her breath. As if on cue someone who had been sitting in a free space on the couch stood up and turned to her, dressed in a tuxedo with a single red rose in his hands. Jig gasped in surprise and covered her mouth with her hands, dropping the poppy to the floor. 

"What the Hell!" she yelled. 

Ephram jogged down the stairs that morning and right over to the front door. He looked out the window and saw a light layer of snow on the ground. He dressed for outside quickly and grabbed his breakfast on the go. True it wasn't a lot of snow on the ground, but it would be enough to throw Jig into a fit of panic. So he, as her best friend, had to walk her to school. He didn't mind, though, he liked walking in the morning, and the cold air helped wake him up. 

Irv's bus was already gone, making the rounds, and Edna's motorcycle was missing as well, probably going to work early. He knocked on the front door and received no answer. He knocked again with no answer. Worried that Jig was hurt (or worse, decided to brave the icy walkway herself,) Ephram opened the door. His first sense to be affected was his sense of smell. His nose was filled with a wild, outside, and almost warm smell as he entered the house and closed the cold out behind him. Then his sight took in the huge arrangement of yellow and orange poppies.

"What the Hell!" he said walking into the living room, looking around in amazement. Jig walked out of the kitchen hearing his voice.

"Ephram!" she yelled in surprise to see him. Walking up behind Jig from the kitchen came a guy about Ephram's height, with tamed, wavy black hair, and the kind of brown eyes that girls would follow forever. He stared menacingly at Ephram, and without knowing it or understanding why, Ephram returned the same. Jig cleared her throat and rubbed her hands nervously in front of her.

"Um, Ephram, this is Isaac de la Vega, Isaac, this is Ephram Brown," Jig said nervously. Once the two boys realized who the other was, well, utter joy did not overcome them…

In Bright's lab class, while all of the other students were busy working on their labs, Bright made his way over to his little chess champion Georgianna Prescott, who was less than thrilled to see him.

"What the Hell do you want?" she demanded from him. He gave her what should be an award winning smile, and the girls around her giggled at his attention, but Georgianna retained her frown.

"Oh come on, you know you like me…" Bright told her in his deep, sexy voice. She narrowed her eyes like she was about to punch him. 

"I wouldn't like you if you were the king of England. Now shoo, ball jockey, here is no place for you!" she yelled at him. Some of her friends laughed, but whether they laughed at her insult or her decision to shun Bright was unclear. Bright sighed.

"You know, I don't get you. All of the other girls in school wouldn't even _hesitate_ to go out with me," he boasted. 

"Well you did ask all of the other girls…" she said and smirked, "or have you?"

Bright frowned and huffed through his nose. He shook his head and went back over to his table and slumped down in his seat.

"No luck?" one of his friends asked him. Bright looked up and scowled at him.

"Shut up!"

Jig was in the kitchen pulling three cans of pop from the fridge while her two best friends sat in the living room glaring furiously at each other. Jig sighed and breathed in a few deep breaths. She opened a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of ibuprofen Irv kept in the kitchen for when Edna was being… Edna. Jig took two of them to calm the headache she knew she was sure to have. Having Isaac and Ephram in the same room was a truly lose/lose situation. There was no good that could come from this. 

As afore mentioned, Isaac de la Vega, formerly Isaac Graham of Los Angeles, and Ephram Brown of New York City were sitting in the living room across from each other. Each stared menacingly at the other, mostly out of jealousy. It was an odd type of jealousy, the kind that sprung from a question that repeated itself over and over in the two men's minds. Who was Jig's best friend? The boy who knew her pain better than anyone else, or the boy who had grown up with her and knew almost every secret? Both men feared that evidently, they would lose. 

Actually there was something else that caused the hatred in their eyes. They knew each other. Not personally, they had never met, but they knew each other's face. Actually, though they didn't know it, they had once been in the same magazine together. If someone was reading through the TIME magazine that featured a story on Dr. Andrew Brown's departure from medicine, they had only to turn a few pages more to read an article about a boy from the slums of LA, who grew up to one of the world's most famous actors.

Isaac de la Vega was in fact a very good actor; he worked hard for his stardom and earned every bit of it. But there were those who despised him for his popularity, mostly boyfriends who had been yelled at by their girlfriends for not being more like _him… Actually, the majority of the people who despised him were jealous of him for one reason or another, none of them knowing all of the hard work, all of the defeats, all of the turn downs, run downs, and backed downs he had to live through to get where he was. None of them knew how many failures he went through to become a success. No one really knew how hard it had been on him, all of these years of trying so hard and getting no where, no one knew but Jig, who knew everything._

There probably wasn't a person in the United States who hadn't heard of teen sensation Isaac de la Vega, and where the hell did Jig get off _knowing him_? She grew up with the guy! She was his best friend! How the hell does that _happen! Isaac de la Vega was the type of person no one 'grows up with'! This was a little too much for Ephram. Sure he knew if he ever met Isaac there'd be some tension, but he never expected the guy voted Sexiest Guy of the Year by every teen magazine in the United States and most of Canada! That was worse then even Ephram could have imagined, and he has a pretty dire imagination… It was hard to find a situation __worse than how Ephram had predicted it._

Jig walked back into the living room and handed each boy a can of grape pop and kept one for herself. Had someone been placing the three people into positions that would have the most symbolism of the current situation, they would have placed the three in the exact positions they were now sitting in. Ephram and Isaac were in chairs facing each other angrily, and Jig was sitting in a chair directly between them both, torn. Of course flowers had been moved aside to make room.

Jig let out a sighed and rubbed her hands in her lap. There were reasons she had never told Ephram, or anyone for that matter, exactly who Isaac was. 'I grew up with a teen sensation' sounded kind of, well, stupid, and silly, and, c_ompletely_ unbelievable. But there he sat, real and believable enough. A poor boy that became a star. Jig sighed again. She supposed all stars had friends growing up, even Isaac de la Vega…


	68. Lurk late We

Edna opened the door to her home and walked into the living room. To her surprise she found two bickering male teenagers standing in the middle of the room. Jig was sitting in a chair, holding her face with her hands and shaking her head. 

"Favorite food!" Isaac yelled at Ephram.

"White rice! Least favorite food!" Ephram responded and challenged.

"Plain chocolate! She likes something in it like peanuts or caramel or something! What are the three signs that Jig's having her period?" Isaac asked. Jig sighed angrily and Edna walked over to her and tapped her on the shoulder. Jig looked up and sighed in relief upon seeing the elderly woman's face.

"What's going on?" Edna asked her.

"My friend Isaac from LA showed up, hence all of the flowers!" Jig informed her.

"She gets aggravated, she cleans everything, and she eats a lot of almonds!" Ephram replied to Isaac's question.

"Yea I know Isaac was here, I helped him set the flowers up. But what are they doing?" Edna asked nodding her head to the two bickering boys. Jig smirked, though obviously not amused.

"They're having an 'I Know More About Jig' contest!" she yelled angrily. Edna chuckled.

"Ha! Wrong! It's _walnuts! Not __almonds!"_

"That's kind of cute," Edna told her. Jig scoffed.

"_Cute! It's _freaky_!" Jig told her._

"No it's almonds!"

"Walnuts!"

"It must be nice to have friends who care about you so much though," Edna reminded her.

"Almonds!"

"Yea well it's also freaky how much they know about me. This has been going on for a few hours now. I didn't know so much trivia about me existed!"

"Jig!" Ephram and Isaac both yelled to her. Jig turned to them sharply.

"What!" she yelled angrily. Her voice had been so angry the two boys fell silent for a moment.

"When you have your period do you eat walnuts or almonds?" Isaac asked her. Jig's face froze half surprised and half panicked. This might have been a question from nuts, but that's not what her answer would be about. Jig's answer right now would determine which one of them won, which one she sided with, agreed with. Her reply would determine who was her best friend.

"Almonds," came the reply, only, it was from _Edna_. Jig froze again in a completely hopeless pose, scared pretty much out of her wits. The boys too, froze wide eyed. 

"Almonds, right? You buy them every month," Edna said hitting Jig's shoulder slightly with the back of her hand. Edna always lacked a certain ability to really understand a conversation, whatever that means… Jig, now, was set in a very difficult position. Now she had to say almonds and agree with Ephram, she could no longer lie, even if she did like Isaac more. But, somehow, Jig could almost always figure a way out of these type of spots.

"It was walnuts in LA, and almonds here," she said and both boys smiled so she sighed in relief. This way both of them felt a sense of victory, and Jig wouldn't be up at night knowing she had hurt one of the two people she cared most about. Jig, even though relieved, scoffed and looked up at Edna.

"What do you mean you helped him set the flowers up!" she demanded. Edna simply chuckled in response and walked into the kitchen, thirst overwhelming her.

Delia sat at her table during art class, frowning as she colored in the picture she had drawn. It was of a horse, and in no way did it, well, _look like a horse_. But they had to produce something in this time, and a bad horse was better than nothing at all. Murasaki was doing her usual thing, practicing her kanji. She was very good at it, Delia thought, she didn't know why Murasaki had to practice. Murasaki once explained to her that in Japan, writing is more than just a form of communication; it was practically an art in itself. Sometimes Murasaki told Delia what the kanji she painted meant, and sometimes she didn't. One of these days Delia was going to paint in Hebrew, and mess everyone up. She just needed to learn Hebrew…

As the horse's coloring was near completion, and since there was a few minutes time before they had to finish, Delia let her eyes wander around the room to the other students. By now she knew all of the faces as well as the names attached to them. Murasaki had filled her in on the need to know facts about those who had them. But, against all of the odds, there was a face Delia didn't know. He was a black haired boy who sat quietly in the corner by himself. Most of the time, as Delia watched him, he kept diligent to his work, but when he looked for a few brief moments around the classroom at the other kids, never at Delia, she saw something in his bluish gray eyes that made her smile. She turned to her friend.

"Murasaki, who's the new boy in the corner?" Delia asked her making the question known but not acting like she really cared. Murasaki only needed a quick glance to give Delia all of the information she wanted but didn't ask for.

"His name is Torres Villa, and he's not new. His parents are divorced and have joint custody. He spends half of the year with his mom here and the other half with his dad in Spain. He speaks Spanish as well as I speak Japanese. He's nice enough, though, just a little shy. Four years of living two different lives can do that, I suppose," Murasaki told her. Delia turned back to the boy and frowned slightly at his misfortune. 

By this time Jig wished she had just said one nut or the other, because that would have shut the two talking nuts up! Ephram and Isaac were so determined to maintain their 'Jig's Best Friend' title they were still testing the other's Jig IQ, even now, hours after it had begun. This was unsettling to Jig for a number of reasons. One, eventually they'd run out of things and just plain ask her who she liked more, and then she'd be in a big pile of dung. Another aspect that was unsettling was the amount of intimate and sometimes meaningless bits of trivia the two had remembered about her. It was weird enough having one person memorize her favorite Beatles in order, but having _two_ people was, well, a little freaky…

"Okay, her favorite Disney Movie," Isaac said to Ephram.

"Mulan," he replied simply, "what's her favorite game in the Myst trilogy?" 

"Enough! The both of you! Go home! School's already over with you've been at it all day! Stop it, please! Go away! Leave me alone!" Jig yelled at them both, bolting from her chair and running into her room, shutting the door loudly behind her. The two boys did fall silent for a few moments before there was a knock on the front door. Ephram, having spent enough time at that Harper residence felt at home enough there to answer the door himself. He gasped in surprise upon seeing Desi's worried face in front of him. 

"Ephram!" she yelled, walking a few steps into the house and closing the door behind her, "you weren't in school today so I called your house and your dad said you left to walk Jig to school on time! So I came here and HOLY CRAP!!!"

For a brief second Desi had looked past her boyfriend to the boy standing behind him, but due to all of the magazines, and movies, and newspapers, it only took the brief second for her to recognize him. Isaac, upon receiving Desi's shocked gaze, waved his fingers at her in reply. Ephram sighed.

"Desi, this is Isaac de la Vega, he's a friend of Jig's from LA…" Ephram informed her. Desi cringed.

"_That's Isaac! That's _Jig's_ Isaac! Oh geez I should have known!" she yelled at herself. Ephram looked at her completely confused. _

"How on earth could you have known that?" he asked her.

"Well I knew Isaac de la Vega was from LA. I knew that!"

"Desi, there must be a hundred guys named Isaac in LA…" Ephram told her. 

"Maybe, but I also knew he grew up in the, uh…" Desi said not quite knowing how to phrase it. 

"Slums? Hi, who are you?" Isaac asked her, smiling. Desi smiled too, walking right past Ephram and over to Isaac. She shook his hand.

"I'm Desi Quincampoix! I'm the mayor's daughter and head of the school newspap- ah! No one knows you're here! Can I get an interview for the school newspaper? It comes out tomorrow but I can get the article in it. So can I-?" Desi asked but was cut off by the sound of Ephram clearing his throat. She looked behind her to the boyfriend she had almost completely ignored. She bit her lip and turned back to Isaac.

"And in addition I am also the caring and loving, and _incredibly_ loyal girlfriend of that wonderful hunk of man behind me named Ephram Brown, or as I call him sometimes, the greatest living being on earth…" Desi said quickly. Ephram sighed and Isaac laughed a little.

"A girlfriend, huh? I bet that complicates things. Tell me Ephram, how weird is it that when remembering every girl you've ever kissed, no matter how nice she was, she was never _her? Don't you just hate that feeling?" Isaac asked him, Ephram fell silent, staring angrily at him. Isaac shook his head, grabbed his coat, and headed for the door._

"When Jig comes out, tell her I'm sorry if I caused her any pain at all, and that she has my love, always…" Isaac said and walked out of the house past Ephram. Ephram looked down at the ground and Desi looked around the living room. 

"What's with the flowers?" 


	69. Strike straight We

Jig sat in her room, or, more exactly, on her bed in her room. She held her banjo in her lap and played the strings just loud enough for her to hear, but not loud enough to be heard in the hallway outside of her room. It might be hard to imagine, but the banjo is a very soothing and relaxing instrument, at least for Jig anyway. She had to concentrate on hitting the right string and having her fingers in the right places that she really didn't have time to worry about anything else. Concentration works wonders on releasing stress. Plus, most of her favorite songs had such a tune to them it was almost violent. She had to hit the strings so hard, so quickly, she had to lose sight of everything else in the room and depend so much on not just knowing the notes but playing from her spirit, her pain, from her vengeance. She'd lose herself, burn her fingers; move her arms and wrists until they hurt. Soon she forget every worry, every pain, every tear, her mind was filed down to one thing, the sound.

Ephram had sent a still star struck Desi home, reassuring her of any worries about him that might still be floating around in her mind somewhere. Ephram loved how Desi could go from one thought to another thought without ever really letting go of the first one. He hoped that reassuring her that he was okay, even though she didn't show any signs of worry, would prevent the thought resurfacing and bringing the worry back with it. He also loved when he did something very "boyfriendy" and considerate. He should probably do it more often…

He walked back into the living room when the alarm on his watch went off. He pressed a button and the beeping stopped. He furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, trying to remember for what reason the alarm had been set. He didn't have to feed anything… He wasn't supposed to pick up anything… And then it hit him.

"Crap!" he yelled and ran over to Jig's door. He began pounding on it and called her name. Inside she sighed angrily and placed her banjo carefully on the bed next to her.

"Go away!" she yelled. Ephram sighed; they really didn't have time for her to suddenly turn into a girl on him.

"_Rehearsal!" he yelled through the door. There was a pause from Jig, probably as the word clicked in her mind and her eyes went toward whatever she had in her room that told time._

"Crap!" she echoed Ephram's previous exclamation and clamored to the door, placing her banjo in the stand by it. She opened the door so quickly it made a gust of wind that both moved his hair and hers. For half a second the two stared at each other before Jig brushed past him and over to her shoes in one of the corners of the flower ridden living room. He walked over to the front door and Jig tried to follow suit, but kept falling over as she tried to walk and get her shoes and coat on at the same time. 

Their hurried state was in honor of the fact that Ephram did have a reason to set the alarm on his watch. He played the piano and she played the cello. And both instruments were needed in the Peak County High "senior" play. Rehearsals were usually after school but since neither instrumentalist had gone to school that day, both were late and forgetful. Actually, considering all of the facts, it was a reasonless and yet lucky thing that Ephram set the alarm on his watch…

Meredith was taking a nap and Sam was with friends, so Nina, finding herself with renewed mothering instincts, was clearing the house. She did the kitchen first, sanitizing everything, even the floor. Then she moved onto the living room and found herself mysteriously stopped by the mantel over the fireplace. Okay, so it wasn't the mantel per se, but what the mantel held. First she found a picture of her and Carl at their wedding. They were smiling and, young… Nina didn't remember ever being so young. The next was her pregnant with Sam, a smile on her face. She laughed a little to herself, thinking about how naïve she had been. The her in the picture, that girl, she had no idea what was coming. Then there was the picture of her, Carl, and baby Sam in the hospital. At the memory that brought she didn't bother concealing laughter. Sam was four hours old in that picture. They would have taken it sooner, but Nina had wanted to comb her hair, but on some make up, and gain enough strength to hold Sam herself. Whenever Carl talked to Sam about the picture he would say, 'See how strong your mother was? She didn't even break a sweat brining you into our family. See how beautiful you made her look?' Nina then sighed deeply and looked toward the stairs, but in her mind felt like she was looking at Meredith upstairs in her room. Nina then looked over at the picture far at the end, the most recent one. It was of Meredith, wrapped tightly and securely in Niki's arms. Nina sighed again and continued with her cleaning.

Amy was walking home after a dancing rehearsal for the school play. There was a reason ballroom and ballet had different names. As far as Amy could see, with the exception that music was involved, she found no other likenesses between the two forms of dance. And how ballroom dancing could be an Olympic sport, well, that was just wrong. Suddenly Amy found herself almost knocked off of the sidewalk. She looked over and saw Jig walking next to her, laughing after bumping into her. Jig liked to make an entrance as surprising as it can be. Amy smiled at her second cousin and Jig smiled back before looking at her feet as they walked and frowning. She sniffled slightly at her feet and looked up at the sky.

"Do you remember when you asked me if I had ever been in love?" Jig asked. Amy looked at Jig staring at the sky contemplatively. Amy smiled slightly. There was something about Jig being solemn that was just oddly, endearing. She was usually the joking happy one of the bunch, but sometimes Jig proved to have, dimensions. Amy nodded.

"Yeah, Isaac something. It was like, the untypical, uniquely Jig kind of love or something…" Amy said. Jig nodded and chuckled slightly. 

"Yeah well… he came to town this morning… That's why I wasn't in school today, Ephram too; he was at my house…" Jig said and looked even further away from Amy, whose mouth dropped open. Amy shoved Jig in the arm.

"And you didn't call me!" Amy accused her. Jig laughed slightly.

"I was a little busy! He showed up early in the morning out of no where and filled the living room with poppies!" Jig told her and Amy smiled at the sweet, yet unsweetly said, tale. 

"Aren't poppies supposed to put you to sleep?" Amy asked her, a little puzzled. Jig chuckled slightly, taking more after Edna every day.

"Baum had an odd way of looking at things…" she said. Amy nodded, smiling. 

"So are things, weird?" she asked. Jig sighed and turned to her.

"Having two guys know by what system you shave under your arms? Things are beyond weird…" Jig said and Amy laughed slightly.

"Maybe you're just too open with things," Amy suggested. Jig made a sound of displeasure, a sound which could almost be defined as a snort.

"Maybe they're just too damn nosy…" she suggested. Amy smiled again. 

"They're your friends, you made them…" Amy said. Jig looked at her, completely and or utterly confused.

"I did what?"

"You made them. You 'make' friends, don't know? It's a silly expression isn't it? You use it in any other way than the standardized formula and no one knows what on earth you're saying!" Amy complained. This time Jig smiled and shook her head at her second cousin.

"That sounds like something Ephram would say…" Jig teased. Amy looked at her surprised, but not very pleased. 

 Nina dropped Delia off at her house before taking Sam and Meredith to go pick up some groceries for when Nina's husband Carl would be coming home. Ironically, as Delia walked up to her front door with a key in her hand, Irv and the elementary bus pulled up in front of the house next door to theirs, the house that wasn't Nina's. The bus stopped and a slightly familiar looking Hispanic boy with wavy black hair and oddly brilliant blue eyes stepped off. Delia was somewhat hidden and watched as the boy walked over to the house, jogged up the steps, revealed a key, and entered, closing the door behind him. Delia's mouth was creating a considerably large entrance to her esophagus. She had never given thought to the people who lived on that side of the house. It had never occurred to her that someone must live there, that they have TWO neighbors. But what on earth are the odds that Torres Villa, the new, kind of cute, guy at school would be the one to occupy the house, even if it was just for half the year? His mother must live in it year round, how had she never seen her? Maybe Delia had… Maybe Delia had seen Torres's mother around town and never knew. But how would she know? Seeing a person on the street didn't mean you had privilege to their entire life's history. There was no way Delia could have known. She was surprised however that Nina had mentioned nothing. Nina was usually the Brown's tour guide of local lore and all of the recent gossip they had never heard. Why had Nina never disclosed the facts of the Brown's other neighbor? You'd think a story about a nine year old boy who spends half the year on one continent and the other half of the year on another, would be of some gossip importance. But, despite all of these thoughts, Delia entered her house, closing the door behind her, and wondered what Torres Villa was doing in his house.


	70. Sing sin We

It was pretty well known that Everwood had a very intricate and very effective grapevine which allowed for select pieces of juicy gossip to be transported through the mind of every able body in town. What was not duly known was the several ties and strings Desdemona Nicolette Quincampoix had wrapped around these vines. Desi was a reporter heart and soul; her connections were tight and effective. There was nothing one phone call could not inform her of. But, likewise, if she knew of something, she would spread it. Of course she'd only spread a little of it, so everyone would have to read her articles to learn the entire story. Some might consider this route of exposure somewhat devious, but Desi was raised to use what works. If it works, don't fix it. An adage used in politics and other Medias probably more than anyone would guess.

Those facts lead up to one thing. Come the evening of February 27th there was not an able bodied person in Everwood who didn't know Isaac de la Vega had come to town. Of course some of the older town occupants had no idea who he was, but that fact that he was young and famous was enough to surprise and intrigue them. 

Isaac, in turn, was by now every well acquainted with fan etiquette and suggested to Jig that he make his entrance into the town's visual range. Jig, obviously cautious, proved her great knowledge of Isaac by agreeing to his ideas, knowing very well it would impossible to talk him out of it. So it was scheduled that the next day, Friday, Isaac and Jig would go to school together, and Isaac would shadow her the entire day. Ephram was not pleased, and Desi was torn between being happy because she had met Isaac de la Vega, and being not happy for her beloved boyfriend. Desi narrowed it down to frowning when Ephram was in sight, and giggling like she was four when he wasn't. Actually, the strength she showed when both Ephram and Isaac were in the room was quite remarkable. A squirrel could leap from one branch to another and miss, and she wouldn't even break a smile. If Ephram wasn't happy, Desi wasn't happy… if Ephram was in the room.

With Ephram's sudden visit that morning, Jig had never really gotten a chance to really welcome Isaac and show him how much she missed him. It's true, Ephram was the best friend she had ever had, but, once you've taken a bath with a guy, you'll always miss him when he's gone, even if you were only three at the time. 

So now Jig and Isaac sat alone together on the sofa in the Harper's living room. It was night out, Irv and Edna had gone to bed, creaks in their bones beckoning them to it. Jig had lit the fire so now she and Isaac did something they had never done as children. They toasted marshmallows, and laughed as they tried to fit all of them in their mouths and pulling the remains off their fingers. A third party viewer would have sworn the two had reverted to five year olds, amazed and baffled by the most simplest and child like of things, yet still filled with a joy of life unsurpassed by anyone of great age. 

After a few marshmallows and twenty sticky fingers Jig grabbed Isaac and lifted him to his feet. 

"There's something I want to show you," she told him smiling. He smiled too as she pulled him from the fireplace to the front door. She opened it and led him outside into the cold and down the first few steps to the front walk way. She let go of his hand, folding her arms over her chest. He folded his too, himself not yet accustomed to the cold. 

"Look," Jig said with frozen breath escaping her mouth which was tilted upward. Isaac looked up and let out a small laugh and a large smile. The sky was clear and dark, not a single cloud or polluted gas blocking their view of a thousand different stars and one waning moon. Isaac breathed in heavily, letting the cold air reach every part of him.

"It's beautiful," he said. Jig nodded.

"I knew you would like it," she said and sighed, "we never got to see this in LA."

Isaac chuckled slightly and nodded. He looked down from the stars to Jig, who was still gazing up at them entranced by whatever means stars have of entrancing. He smiled again.

"You're really happy here, aren't you?" Isaac asked her. Jig turned down to him, smiling. Wordlessly she nodded, the smile never faulting on her face. He leaned forward and kissed her lips very softly. He pulled away quickly and she just looked at him, the expression on her face the same as before he kissed her.

"I wish I was responsible for that smile," he told her. She reached out her hand, the smile becoming gentler. She took his hand in hers.

"You always are," she said. He nodded and they walked back into the house, out of the cold.

That Friday morning, for some reason, Andy took a stroll into Everwood's library. It was a huge building that looked more like a mansion then a city owned building. Inside it looked like a mansion too, with stairwells leading to large rooms around the house that held carefully placed and labeled books. Seated at the bottom of the grandest of the staircases was a large wooden desk. Behind that was seated a brown haired woman typing on a computer keyboard with one hand and eating a breakfast burrito with the other. Andy smiled and walked over to her. He leaned on the desk and Penny held up one finger to him, not taking her eyes off of the screen. Finally she clicked save and turned to him. As she turned she had a serious, creepy kind of librarian look on her face, but when her eyes and mind recognized him, she smiled.

"The doctor!" she said.

"The librarian," he replied and looked around, "in her native habitat," he added and she smiled and nodded.

"Yeah this is home sweet home. Every now and then the zoo keeper puts out a plate of food and refills my water troth," she said and he chuckled slightly.

"They feed you breakfast burritos, evidently," he said motioning his head to the ¾ eaten burrito on the plate next to her computer keyboard. She smiled again.

"Yeah well, we only eat the high quality foods here. So, what can I do for you?" 

"What?"

"You're in a library, I'm the librarian. Can I help you find a book?" she asked him, readying her hands over the keyboard again to type in a title or an author. Andy narrowed his eyebrows.

"I don't know. I just felt like coming here today, I didn't have a book in mind," he said. Penny smiled and leaned over closer to him.

"Good, I love those. I have a special talent for picking the right book for people."

"Some how I don't doubt that…"

"Now, you seem like the type who either knows all of the stuff he wants to, or owns all of the books he'd need to look it up. You're not here on a fact finding mission, you're here for pleasure's sake. So, for you, I'm guessing… Lady Chatterley's Lover," Penny suggested and he laughed.

"Nope, sorry," he said shaking his head. Penny tilted her head from side to side and tapped the corner of her mouth with her index finger in thought. Then she leaned up and snapped her fingers, assuming the answer had come to her. 

"You're one of those guys who goes around looking for books you think you've read but haven't, or think you _should read and haven't. And I got the perfect book for you. Someone just returned it this morning. I don't suppose you have a library card?" she asked him. He shook his head._

"Not one outside of New York City."

"Well then just fill this out and I'll get you one," she said giving him a form and a pen. He picked up the pen but looked at her.

"Can I see the book first?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"Card first, book later."

"That's harsh."

"That's how we do things here in Everwood, now fill," she commanded and he obeyed. He handed her back the form, she pressed a few keys, and gave him a paper Peak County Library Card for him to sign. Once he did that she pushed her wheeled chair over to a box, pulled out and book, and pushed herself back to the computer. Without letting him see the title she logged it into the computer and placed the book in a brown paper bag and gave it to him.

"Have a nice day and don't steal the book," she said. Andy smiled and said his goodbyes and walked out of the library.

As Andy walked down the front steps to the awkwardly placed Main Street he opened the brown paper bag which was a few sizes too big for the actual book and took the book out. He held it in front of him, its clear plastic protector making a crackling noise as he turned it around to see the cover. He smiled and let out a soft chuckle. He turned around and looked back at the library's exterior before walking back to his office.

"She gave me Winnie the Pooh," he said softly to himself, "I don't believe she gave me Winnie the Pooh…"__


	71. Thin gin We

Most of the things people do in life are pretty ridiculous. Even standards set by society for 'normal' people make no sense if you take the time to look at it. So many stupid things done for the sake of looking good. Shaving leg hair, dying hair, painting faces, inflating or deflating parts of your body like some balloon animal that doesn't know what it's supposed to be, but knows it's supposed to look good. When you grow up with very little money in your purse your priorities change. People become more natural, more like the animals that they are. Without money people focus more on surviving. Food, housing, health. They never think much on what color lipstick they wear or if their shoes go with their outfit. Maybe that was the appeal of Isaac de la Vega. He was attractive, even Jig admitted that when pressed, but he did nothing to get that way. He refused to wear any makeup in his movies or style his hair. What you saw was really how Isaac was. He grew up not caring about what on earth he looked like. He grew up with the basic natural urge to survive. And evidently, when humanity really sees it, that's what they want. Not some painted up Hollywood party doll, but something natural, and basic, and beautiful still.

That's how Isaac always figured upon his success. He was real, something new to the business. And the animal quality of every movie watcher saw that and wanted that, wanted their humanity back. Jig had always figured he was a success because of his eyes, but, she never said that, she just agreed with whatever Isaac said. Growing up, he was considered great, and she was considered his body guard. Not enough in praise herself, but not to be missed with, for Isaac truly did love her, and the great cannot be wrong. Not to the meager, anyway. 

If anyone told Ephram this, if he knew that once upon a time Jig took second place, he would laugh and not believe it. But, once upon a time, Jig took second place. She let Isaac shine because she knew something; she knew that Isaac was made to shine. Isaac had always been able to shine on his own and endure. Isaac didn't need a lot of help, sometimes he just liked having Jig at his side, and most of the time, and she liked his side. His light would lighten her too, sometimes in the most difficult of times. But Ephram, Ephram could not shine on his own. Ephram was like a bird who didn't know it could fly. He needed someone to show him how, to get him up there and enjoying himself. Ephram needed a charger before he could shine. So, with Ephram, Jig gave him some of her life, some of her smiles. Of course, she also gave him frowns. She would look past at all of the times she cried in his arms, and wish they had not been. Ephram didn't need her to be like that, he needed her to shine for him. Yet, in all of Everwood, there wasn't another person she wanted to cry to. Ephram had a way of telling you everything would be alright and you'd damn well believe him. She never doubted that what he said would happen. Ephram might not be able to fly like he could, but he was more stable on the ground then anyone Jig had ever met. Isaac was there to help Jig shine, but Ephram was there to help her survive. In fact, it was Ephram who taught Jig to fly. It was him to teach her that sometimes, she needed to forget herself, and believe in him. 

This is where the difficulty lay. She had one friend who was, her light. And she had another who was her dark. Ying and yang. Harmony, when they were apart. But together, without knowing it, they made her chose between them. But she can't, she couldn't, she needs them both and they both need her. There were times she would start to cry in her room, when she would yell at herself for ever sitting across the table from Ephram and talking to him. But the idea of that being a regret, filled her with so much pain. Jig had many regrets, many far worse than she told Ephram of, things she would think of and collapse onto the floor wrapping herself in her arms, trying not to vomit. There were things, or rather, thing, that she could never say aloud, to anyone. Not to Isaac, nor to Ephram. Something she had done, because she had to, because she had no choice, but that didn't help. She was supposed to make Ephram shine, how could she tell him of such things? Only three people ever knew, and now one is dead, and another probably forgotten about it. It was Jig's to bear, or, in this case, not to bear.

That Friday Ephram stayed with Desi, steering clear of Jig and Isaac, which wasn't hard to do with the swarm of people around them. Jig was even late to a few classes because they couldn't get through the crowd. But it was official; Isaac de la Vega had come to Everwood. To see his best friend, no less, a girl still very much new to Everwood herself. It was odd, though; a sudden shift that Ephram felt, a release which he thought was odd for the occasion. Until that day, Ephram had been the kid with the famous connections, but now it was Jig, with even bigger connections. The atmosphere was somewhat, altered, around him. And he was glad to say, for the better, he felt freer to an extent. Plus it was kind of funny watching Jig yell at everybody.

  It had been interesting for Amy to try and explain who Isaac de la Vega was to Colin. After she had he still didn't quite understand, but when Isaac walked into the school building and the mobs started to form, he kind of got the general idea. On his way to one of his classes, Colin walked past the school's weight training room that was oddly occupied only by one person. On a lot of gym days, he was told, the kids would get their choice of basketball, badminton, jump rope, walking around the hallway, or going into the weight room. Usually when he walked passed the room it was full of guys, but this day must be a day the girls have gym, for it was a single girl who was furiously bounding and kicking at the punching bag with anger in her grunts and a much tamed pattern to her motions. Actually, she seemed so emotionally involved with every hit of the bag that Colin stopped and watched her. She looked familiar, like Amy had pointed her out to him, but he didn't remember. It was kind of entrancing, watching her release anger in such a way. After a few moments she stopped hitting the bag and clung to it as she fell to the ground, apparently now crying. Colin took a step forward in worry but moved no farther because she did get up and walked over to a table nearby and rubbed a towel over her face and cheeks. She sighed and looked over to the doorway and saw him there. She sighed again and shook her head.

"I wish I could do that," Colin told her. She chuckled slightly, forcing it so well it almost sounded real. 

"What, hitting the bag or crying like a little girl?" she asked him. He looked up at the ceiling and shook his head back and forth in thought before looking at her again.

"Probably the first one," he said and she laughed really this time and walked over to him.

"You're Colin. Don't worry; you're not supposed to know me. I'm Amy's second cousin Jig, nice to meet you," she said pulling a boxing glove off of her right hand and extending it. 

"Yeah, nice to meet you too," he said now recognizing her, "you're the one with the movie star."

"Heh, yeah, I guess you could say that," she said and they fell silent. He nodded back to the punching bag.

"So what was that about?" he asked her. She looked back at it, not really expecting to see anything new and turned back to him.

"A lot of unfortunate memories," she said and he chuckled slightly.

"Maybe you and I should trade then," he told her smiling, she smiled and nodded.

"Right, the amnesia thing. I saw that coming…. Well, you've come into good company here in Everwood, and believe me, I've seen bad company."

"Hence the punching bag?"

"Hence the punching bag. Right, so, if you ever need a tour around town or something, ask someone else, I'll get you lost before we cross the street," she told him and he laughed.

"I'll remember that," he said, and hurried his way to class, not really worried about being late.

It had been a surprisingly slow day. Everyone was in such a hustle about Isaac de la Vega, no one bothered being sick. So, quietly in his office, Andy took out a book and started to read. Every now and then Edna would pop in with a question or two and Andy would quickly hide the book under his desk and give her a really fake smile. Sometimes she could hear him laughing from his office and at the end of the day decided not to ask why. Andy was ashamed to say it, but he thoroughly enjoyed Winnie the Pooh. Penny Laderer did have a flare for picking the right book. Winnie had just enough childish spirit and enthusiasm to make him feel better about the day. The thought had crossed his mind to go out and buy the book to read everyday, but then another thought occurred to him. Why go out and buy it, when he could borrow it from the library? Sure the cost of buying it would seem like nothing after his long career as a neurosurgeon, but, the idea of going to the library on a regular basis seemed to give Andy some sort of smile across his face, something he really couldn't explain. Maybe it's because the building is so unusual compared to all of the other libraries he's seen. It really looked more like an old home than a library. He probably wanted to go back and figure out why.


	72. Jazz june We

Ephram walked casually down the hallway after his Math class. It was kind of sad; actually, the class he took was with the Juniors, and he still did better then all of them. Genetic traits. He found Jig, Desi, and Amy standing against a set of lockers opposite the girl's locker room, each in their uniforms. Ephram walked up to them and removed his earplugs and turned off his CD player. 

"What's going on?" he asked them. Amy sighed and looked toward the girl's bathroom.

"They kicked us out."

"What?" Ephram asked, confused by all right.

"They kidnapped Isaac and kicked us out, the goddamn…" Jig explained.

"Ha! That's eleven!" Desi said jotting something down on the notebook she seemed to always carry with her recently.

"Eleven what?" Ephram asked her.

"Desi has a new project," Amy answered. Desi prepared herself to elaborate.

"I'm doing a study for the school news paper. I'm tallying how many times a Christian and an Atheist make a reference to God or that sort within a 24-hour period. So I'm following Jig around and I'm going to spend the night at her house," Desi explained.

"Okay, that's, weird…. But why Jig?" Ephram asked, still a little confused.

"Because she's an Atheist…." Desi explained. Ephram's eyebrows lifted in surprise and he looked at Jig.

"You are?" 

"Yeah."

"Wait a minute, you guys have been best friends for almost six months, and you didn't know Jig's beliefs?" Amy asked them, a little amused. Ephram shrugged.

"It never came up," Ephram said and Jig shrugged. Suddenly Isaac burst out of the girl's locker room and over to them, pen marks formed into words almost covering his arms. He grabbed Jig's arm.

"Come on!" he yelled and ran with her down the hallway as a mob of girls emerged from the locker room and followed them. Desi joined the mob, needing to be near Jig for her study. Ephram sighed and turned to Amy.

"Small town life?" he asked her. She nodded grinning.

"On steroids," she replied. He chuckled slightly, replaced his earplugs, and continued walking down the hallway, listening to his music.

Nina had taken the day off and waited rather impatiently in her kitchen, warming milk for Meredith and making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Sam. If he was eating he was quiet. The reason for her impatience was, to be expected, her husband returning for a stay, and an introduction to his niece. Nina had given Meredith a bath that morning, after breakfast to clean all of the sludge off. If Carl didn't arrive soon, Nina would have to feed Meredith again, and that meant another bath, which could lead to Meredith's hair being wet when Carl got home. Meredith's hair was straight when it was wet, but when it was dry it was so surly she looked like a mini Snow White. With a bow in her hair, she'd make Edna smile. Nina kind of really needed Carl to love Meredith as much as she did. Despite all of the complications, Nina needed him to love her. She really had no doubt that he would, he was known to speak of wanting a daughter to protect, but, still, she was worried.

"Mooooooooommmmmm!" Sam whined. Nina looked over to see Meredith numbing Sam's sandwich in her hands. Nina sighed.

"Why'd you give that to her?" Nina asked.

"I didn't! She grabbed it out of my hands!" Sam whined again. Nina smiled and walked over to the baby. She removed the sandwich and threw it out. She cleaned some of the peanut butter and jelly off of the girl's face but lifted her out of the highchair to take her into the bathroom. 

"I'll make you another sandwich after I clean her up," Nina told him.

"Nina? Sam?" a voice called to them from the front room. Sam's pouting face brightened into a thousand smiles as he bolted from his chair and into the arms of his father, who hugged him with the strength of a thousand wishes. Nina smiled and walked into the room to find her husband smiling and hugging their child. He set Sam down, smiled at her, the sight of her warming him in his place.

"Nina…" he said and walked over to her and the baby. Despite his focus being completely on the woman he loved since he was ten, he did take the baby in her arms into account and hugged his wife carefully.

"I missed you," Nina told him.

"Ditto," he said and they both giggled slightly in their joy. Carl leaned away from her and looked at the goo-covered baby in her arms. He chuckled slightly.

"This must be Meredith. Oh Nina, she's beautiful. She looks just like you, only with, peanut butter and jam on her face," Carl said and Nina laughed.

"She stole Sam's sandwich," Nina said and Carl laughed. Sam now stood at his father's side, but did not share in the revelry. 

"May I hold her?" Carl asked. Nina nodded and handed the baby to him. He held the darling girl in his arms for a few moments, and she seemed perfectly fine there, not making a noise, just looking up at him with large, baby eyes. Then she spit up on him.

"Aww! That brings back memories…" Carl said looking down at Sam as Nina took the baby and brought Carl some paper towels. She frowned watching her husband wiping the front of his shirt.

"Welcome home," she said and Carl chuckled slightly. 

Andy walked into Everwood's library and up to the main desk. It appeared as though the desk had been abandoned, but there were signs that there was an intention of returning. He placed Winnie the Pooh on the counter and waited for the librarian. His wait was not long.

"Andy Brown, I was wondering when you were going to return that book," Penny Laderer said walking behind the desk. Andy shrugged.

"I almost thought of keeping it," he replied, handing the book back to her. She marked it in as returned and then looked up at Andy, who evidently had other issues to discuss. 

"_Now_ how may I help you?" Penny asked.

"I'd like another book… And, no Milne, please," he said. She nodded, rolled her chair over to the other side of the desk, and pushed herself back.

"I thought you would, so I think you'll like this one," she said checking it out and handing it to him, no mystery behind it.

"The Great God Brown?" he asked her. She nodded.

"It's a play by Eugene O'Neill, it's about masks and finding out who you really are, and who the people around you really are," Penny explained. Andy nodded.

"Does it tell me why the dead can't die?" he asked her. She smiled.

"You'd have to check out Mourning Becomes Electra," Penny told him. He nodded and tucked the book into the crook of his arm.

"Maybe next time," he replied. She nodded.

"Enjoy," she told him as he turned around and walked out of the library. 

Ephram walked into his kitchen Saturday evening to find Delia, in a dress and without baseball cap, setting the table. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out the bottle of milk. Milk actually came in glass bottles in Everwood… He filled a cup with it and replaced it, still keeping an ever-watchful eye on his little sister.

"What are you doing?" he finally asked her.

"Setting the table."

"Yeah, but why?" he asked taking a sip of his milk.

"Jig and Isaac de la Vega are coming over for supper," Delia answered him. At that point Ephram did what would most commonly be called a 'spit take.' Delia laughed slightly at his reaction and Ephram dampened a paper towel and cleaned the kitchen counter, which had received the front of the blast. Andy walked into the room and gave his children a questioning stare but decided against voicing his curiosity.

"Why didn't you tell me Jig and Isaac were coming over?" Ephram demanded from him sharply. Andy unintentionally gave Ephram his blank, almost puppy dog look.

"I thought Jig would have told you. Jig didn't tell you?" Andy asked surprised.

"She probably figured you would have asked Ephram if it was okay," Delia suggested. Andy turned to her.

"Why wouldn't it be okay?" he asked her, once again confused. She looked at Ephram so Andy followed her gaze. Ephram sighed and set his cup in the sink.

"There are just, rough spots, when it comes to Isaac. Can you _uninvite_ them?" Ephram asked. Andy put his puppy face on again. 

"Well uh…" he said but was saved from finishing by the doorbell ringing. Ephram sighed and walked over to the table and sat down. 

When everyone was settled in and eating the food that Nina had be kind enough to make for them, the seating arrangement was as such: Andy at the head, as usual, with Ephram at his right and Delia at his left. Isaac sat next to Delia, which placed him across the table from Jig, who sat next to Ephram. Delia, surprisingly, ate nothing. She spent so much of her time trying to look like she wasn't looking at Isaac de la Vega, that she never ate a morsel. Jig and Ephram were both quiet unless spoken too. They spent their time glancing at each other, both being hurled into this spot. Ephram hadn't known of the event until it was upon him, and Jig was pressured by Isaac to accept. 

Even Isaac de la Vega wanted to meet Dr. Andrew Brown. Actually, the main reason was that, once upon a time, Isaac wanted to be a doctor. His mother was a part time nurse so as a small child Isaac had spent a lot of time in the hospital daycare. He loved all of the organized busyness. But then he got a spot in a commercial and that became his goal. Now his mother was no longer a part time nurse, she had her own mansion in Hawaii, but spent most of her time with him, except to Everwood, she knew Jig was something Isaac would want to be alone for. Actually, with the wealth his film career had brought him, Isaac was set for life financially, and, if he wished, he could afford to go to school and become a doctor. The idea of doing that always brought a smile to his lips. 

"So Isaac, any new film projects you could tell us about?" Andy asked, the only one comfortable enough to talk to him. Isaac nodded, swallowing a bite of food and mechanically wiping the side of his mouth with his napkin.

"Yes, actually. I'll be starring in a modernized version of Don Juan," Isaac said with a still common boyish enthusiasm about a new project. 

"If it's modern how can he be _Don_ Juan?" Ephram grumbled. Isaac frowned slightly but cleared it and put his smile back. 

"They haven't figured that out yet. But it's still a few months until we start shooting."

"So you signed up for a movie that you haven't even seen the script for?"

"Well I-"

"It's not going to be another gang war movie is it? Most 'modernized' classics are usually about street gangs."

"I'm not sur-"

"Have you ever _read_ Don Juan? _Ow_!" Ephram yelled and leaned down to rub his newly sore shinbone. Jig just sat quietly, eating casually from her plate. 


	73. Die soon

Come the end of supper Delia had become comfortable around Isaac de la Vega, and they, along with Andy, moved into the sitting room to watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Delia picked the movie, in part to get over her fear of it, and in greater part to show Isaac how brave she was. He, by now, had seen the movie and didn't mind when Delia would start to talk to him in the middle of it.

Ephram, as to be expected, did not sit and watch the movie. He sat at the counter in the kitchen, casually eating out of a bowl of ice cream. He heard Isaac laugh and frowned at his ice cream. Then, by some chance, he looked up and saw something move on the back porch. He glanced toward the sitting room and quietly stood up, abandoning his ice cream, sneaked behind the three people watching TV, grabbed his coat which was conveniently placed by the back door, and walked out onto the porch.  

Surprisingly, he found Jig wrapped up in one of the blankets from the sitting room, sitting on the swing, shivering slightly but not seeming to mind. She was just looking across the street, probably so lost in thought she didn't know that she was staring blankly.

"I never expected you to be out here…" Ephram told her. Jig turned to him and smiled when her eyes recognized him. 

"Isaac and I have been joined at the hip for the past three days. A breath of fresh air is a breath of fresh air…" she told him. He nodded and sat down next to her on the swing, waiting for it to once again become motionless before he spoke. 

"So how is he adjusting to the cold?" Ephram asked. Jig thought he pretended to care very well.

"Pretty well, I suppose. He came here from Paris. One of his movies is having a big premiere in LA next week, so he stopped by for a visit," Jig said and Ephram nodded. He sighed.

"You know, the fact, that Isaac is _who he is, it's kind of, unrealistic…" Ephram told her. She nodded her head._

"I guess you'd have to grow up in LA to understand," she told him. He didn't even understand the statement, but trusted Jig knew what she was talking about. 

"So what's it like, being friends with a star?" he finally asked. She sighed.

"A lot easier then being his son I'll tell you…" she said and he chuckled slightly, "but, um, it was weird. Some people, girls, actually, sent me hate mail when they heard I was his best friend. But, his lawyers or something stopped that from continuing. Mostly, I think, people just ask me what kind of person he is…."

"And what do you say?"

"I tell them that he hums when he sleeps. And, I know this because when his mom's boyfriend got angry he'd come down and sleep with me…" she told him. Ephram nodded.

"He hums?" he asked her and this time she nodded, smiling as past memories resurfaced themselves in her mind. 

"It's always the same tune, too. 'A Whole New World,' from the Aladdin movie. Ever since we saw it at Auntie's apartment he'd hum it every night. Still does, it's weird…" Jig told him. Ephram lowered his eyebrows in both wonder and pleasure. Isaac was weird and imperfect, and it made Ephram feel great. 

"So, how'd it go with Desi? She told me she's staying with Amy tonight," Ephram changed the subject. 

"47 times…" Jig sighed. Ephram laughed slightly.

"That's a big number for one day…" 

"Yup… There's no way Amy is going to pass that."

"She has more respect for it, I suppose."

"Oh respect shemect, Amy's just been commanded not to 'use the lord's name in vain.' It's a bunch of bull plop…" Jig grumbled. She looked over to Ephram to see him grinning at her.

"What?" 

" 'Shemect?' 'Shemect!' That isn't a word!" he told her and she laughed slightly. 

"Jig?" they heard and both turned toward the door. Isaac stood there, leaning out onto the porch. 

"Edna's here," he told her. She nodded and stood up.

"See you tomorrow Ephram," she told him, standing up and handing him the warm blanket she had wrapped around herself. She walked past Isaac and into the house, for Edna was on the other side. For a few, brief moments after Jig was out of sight, Isaac's and Ephram's eyes met, faces set to a threatening glare. Then Jig called Isaac's name and the two stopped glaring at each other. Although each hated the other, or, rather, envied, neither was aware of the fact that as they walked away from each other, they were each thinking the same thing… that they had lost their best friend. 

That Monday, Andy had some tasks at hand. Edna offered to do it for him, but he had the time and she had filing, so he did it himself. He returned his book to the library. For the third time Andy walked into the giant mansion turned library. The more times he entered the building, the stronger the scent of time seemed to be. It was the smell of books a hundred years old that soaked into the wood and the pages of the newer books. It was also the faint smell of wood polish that still lingered in the older wood years after it had been applied. 

He walked up to the front desk as usual and the smell of new computers added to the general smell of the library. Penny Laderer sat at the desk, typing frantically on the keyboard, seemingly focused solely on the task at hand.

"Writing the great American novel?" he asked her. She turned in her seat and smiled, seeing him.

"Not unless it involves straightening out the card catalogue. What are you doing here?" she asked him. In response he pulled a book out of his pocket and placed it on the counter. She looked at it, a little wide eyed.

"I finished it."

"Already? I wasn't expecting to get that back for another week. For a guy with two kids you sure have a lot of reading time…" she told him. He chuckled slightly. 

"Well, through years of neglect my children have become quite independent…" he told her, smiling at it, seemingly proud. She nodded in understanding.

"They'll do that," she said straightening some piles on her desk. Andy narrowed his eyes slightly, a little worried.

"Do you have kids, Penny?" he asked her. She turned back to him, and for a quick second, well, it wasn't a quick second seeing as how a second cannot be quicker nor slower than a second, a wave of almost nausea flashed in her eyes.

"No, no I don't. I never intend to, either," she told him, nodding in approval of her own statement.

"Well, you should. They're great… I'm sure…" he said and the two fell into a silence. 

"Look, I don't have a book ready for you, so, if you have some time, I can make up for it by giving you a tour around the library?" she asked. He checked his watch and nodded to her.

"I'm actually quite curious."

Penny stood up and led him to a portrait in the middle of the library. It was of a man in what looked to Andy like late 19th century clothing, with a bald shinning head, and a moustache the size of a rat Andy saw in NYC once. But, despite and despite, he looked distinguished. Of course, he looked distinguished in the way that meant the artist had taken some liberties for a price.

"Andy Brown, meet Ronald Richard Stevenson Everwood the Third. Ron, meet Andy Brown. Ronny-boy here is the founder of Everwood. Well, actually, Everwood was founded five years before Ronald Everwood ever got here. It was founded by a group of Mexicans but came under the United States control a few years later. Everwood was sent with his wife and six daughters to Americanize it. You know, I'm the only person in this entire town who can remember the name of Ronald's six daughters," Penny told him, beaming with pride. Andy chuckled a little. 

"What were they?"

"I'm not going to tell you. If I tell you you'll remember and then I won't be the only person in Everwood who can name them," she said and he nodded.

"That makes sense…"

"Anyway, this library was the first building built in Everwood by the Americans. It was the house of Everwood and his family. It stayed in the family until Ronald's great grandson left for California. He sold the building to the city, and it was used as a museum of Everwood's history. But at that point there wasn't enough history to fill the building, so they turned it into a library 87 years ago. There was originally a left wing to the building, but 50 years ago there was a fire and the entire wing burnt to the ground. There's a plaque where the wing was in memory of a cat that was caught in the blaze. Mickey, he was a sweet heart."

"Poor thing," Andy said as Penny led him into another room and in front of another portrait. This one of a girl in her late teens with short, dark brown locks that curled, a fancy green dress, and a smile on her face.

"This, is Annabelle Everwood. She's the one daughter _everyone_ in town knows. Her story is the most famous…" Penny told him smiling at the portrait.

"What was it?" Andy asked, swimming in curiosity. 

"Well, when Annabelle was seventeen, she took a horse one night after a fight with her father, and rode into the woods. Now, riding in the woods at night and alone is never a good idea, and, Annabelle found that out. She got lost very quickly, and ended up wandering around the woods for days, until she came across a small village of Native Americans. They saw her exhausted and very frightened state and welcomed her to their food and clothing. They even fed her horse. 

Annabelle stayed with these people, they where a tribe of Jicarilla Apache who had settled there, anyway, she stayed with them for a few months, not being able to tell them where she was from. But, while there, she met the Chief's son, we call him Masked Thief never learning his real name. He got that name because from what sources says, he had the eyes, spirit, and loyalty of a raccoon, which is an animal greatly favored by the tribe. Anyway, Annabelle and Masked Thief fell in love, and after she had been there a year, she gave birth to their son, Thomas. At this point Annabelle was beginning to miss her family, and was able to tell her Native American husband this though the English she had taught him. So one day he took her to the town's edge with Thomas, whom Annabelle wanted to show to her parents. Now at this point the town thought Annabelle had died, and no one recognized her with the native clothing and hair style, carrying a Native American child in her arms. 

When she got to her home, at first her mother, who answered the door, shooed her away. But Annabelle called her mother a name only Annabelle had ever called her. Her mother was so horrified that her dead daughter was alive, and, well, what she considered, savage, that she fainted. Then Ronald came to the door, saw his wife laying still on the ground, and, without letting Annabelle explain, went for his gun. He chased after Annabelle right into the forest, where Masked Thief was waiting for her by a creek. He heard the gunshots and finally saw her clutching their child as she ran for their lives. He saw her just in time to watch her fall at her own father's gunshot. Everwood left promptly, feeling very good about himself. Masked Thief ran to his wife and child. Thomas, the baby, was miraculously unhurt, but a few moments later, Annabelle died in Masked Thief's hands. 

She was given a proper Christian funeral, as she had taught Masked Thief many of her beliefs and even enough English to read from the Bible she had with her. Twenty years later Thomas returned to Everwood, to what had once been his mother's home, and for the first time, in English, told Ronald and his wife who he was, and what Ronald had done. The two wept for years until Ronald grew ill, and finally died. Many people say that the hole Ronald received from hearing the news he had killed his own daughter, had grown and grown, until finally it killed him," Penny told Andy. Andy nodded as the two were both silent, glaring at the eyes of the young woman in the portrait. 

"That's a good story," he told her. She nodded.


	74. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Gwendolyn Brooks

For some reason Delia found herself inadvertently staring at Torres Villa in most of her classes. He seemed to be in the same mood everyday. Quiet, somewhat solemn in a cute sort of way, and he never seemed interested in the class work, but Miss Violet never yelled at him. Actually, Delia hadn't even noticed she had been staring at Torres until Murasaki nudged her in the arm during their art period. 

"Can you pass the red paint?" Murasaki asked her. Delia blinked and nodded.

"Writing your name again?" Delia asked her, knowing she wasn't. Delia was just a little curious as to why Murasaki was painting a giant heart around the kanji on her paper with the paint Delia had handed her. 

"Nope," Murasaki said as she closed her red heart.

"Then what does it say?" Delia asked her, now more than a little worried. Murasaki grinned and held her paper so Delia could see it. 

"It says, 'Delia loves Torres,' " Murasaki said with a grin and a few, childish, laughs. Delia's eyes widened in surprise and then, unknowingly, she placed a smile on her face that was obviously a cover for embarrassment. 

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Delia told her, redirecting her attention to her own project. It was of her dad, she thought… Murasaki just grinned.

"You've been staring at him every chance you get Delia. In a normal day you raise your hand eleven times, today only two. You've been staring at Torres, Delia. 'Sayonara High School boy', eh?" Murasaki asked her. Delia frowned slightly so Murasaki sighed and looked at her friend earnestly. 

"Why don't you just tell him, Delia, see how it goes. You're nine, whatever he says it won't be life altering," Murasaki suggested. Delia nodded, and, for some reason that she didn't know but would damn for the rest of her life, she walked over to him.

"Okay, so, the grand total is, 47 references to god and the like for the Atheist, and twelve for the Christian. Some how that just doesn't seem right…" Desi said and she leaned on Ephram's shoulder as they walked down the hallway, her reading the notebook in her hands.

"Jig and I, well, I, assume that it's because Amy has more respect for it," Ephram suggested. Desi raised her eyebrows in consideration.

"I like that… I know since Isaac got here I haven't been spending as much time with you as I should. So… how are things with Jig doing, now that her other bestest best friend is in town?" Desi asked and Ephram chuckled slightly at 'bestest' but ultimately fell into a pensive frown. 

"It's weird, actually. I'm not quite sure what my role is anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's like, when Isaac wasn't here, I was Jig's best friend, unquestioned. I did all of the buddy stuff with her, I made all of the worst jokes she'll ever hear with her, and other best friend stuff. But, now, Isaac is the one with the bad jokes, and I just feel like, like I'm competing for my best friend," Ephram said, rubbing the ridge of his nose with the hand that wasn't constrained by his girlfriend's shoulder. She smiled softly, in that understanding, thoughtful, caring way that makes all women attractive.

"Ephram, Isaac was still her friend even when you had the bad jokes, and even though he was still her friend, she still needed you in her life. You'll always be there Ephram, it's just who you are…" Desi told him. He scoffed.

"That's who I was for Amy, and when's the last time I talked to her?" Ephram asked Desi, and, despite the situation, he trusted Desi enough to not get mad about him mentioning Amy, as any other girl would. Hell even Jig got mad when he mentioned Amy. 

"That was different. Amy was going through a time where she needed someone. You were there as long as she needed you."

"Yeah but what about Jig and her mo-ve, her and her moving to Everwood?" Ephram asked, almost forgetting that most of the town was oblivious to Jig's being an orphan.

"That was different… as well. That's something you and Jig have in common. You never had a loved one in a coma, which I know of anyway…" Desi said. Ephram smiled and shook his head.

"Not that I know of either. I guess you're right, you usually are," he said and she smiled.

"Yup! The odds usually work with me."

"Hey Desi, have you ever considered how many times a Jew makes a reference to god and the like in a 24 hour period?" Ephram asked her. A smile quickly spread the ends of Desi's lips.

For the first time, Andy found himself wandering aimlessly around Everwood's only public library. All of the other accounts of him entering the building were contained in the large front room, but now he found himself combing the large, mostly uninhabited parts of the building. In the front, he found that the more recent and probably the most checked out books, and in the back books none but true book lovers and intellects could enjoy. Toward the back, he did find a book he'd have to mention to Genji, Murasaki's father. The Tale of Genji was sitting there, hard bound and covered with a protective layer of dust. In fact, the entire experience was quite satisfying for Andy. It was quiet, and informative, and the book cases were old and had a very antique quality to them and their great mass that made one feel as if they were walking between ancient trees instead of bookcases. The only downside to the exercise was that every now and then Andy would hear the sound of the sole of his shoe being removed from some sticky part of the lonesome area. Most of the time he spent in libraries was during his student days, when he had certain things to find and a certain amount of time to do it in. He had always been in a frantic state then, but now, just grazing by the titles at his leisure, with no real purpose except to enjoy this quiet time, he really enjoyed libraries. Then, of course, as all such instances of peace go, his cell phone rang, and the sound echoed throughout the library's silence. To avoid embarrassment he answered it swiftly and made his inquisitive 'hello?' in a whisper. Later that day, or, later in his life, Andy would look back upon this moment and laugh, realizing how trying to avoid one embarrassment, can often lead you into a greater one, one you never even saw coming. 

As Andy made his way toward the front of the library where the door was, he ran in a very odd looking manner, for he wished not to make a sound. He turned to Penny's desk, an explanation already forming in his genius mind. But, to even his surprise, and perhaps dismay, Penny was away from the position. But, still, Andy walked toward the desk and stood in front of it. On the counter lay a book. The Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus. He checked the back of it, where in Everwood not only did it give the date for return, but the name of the person who should return it. And he smiled, despite his haste, as he read his name next to the date for two weeks from that day. He found a pad of paper near by and a pen, and before writing on it he looked around to see if Penny was advancing. Since she was still no where within sight, he wrote one sentence on the paper and placed it on her computer keyboard. He then left with the book tucked into the crook of his elbow.

A few minutes later Penny returned to her desk from whatever librarian job she had been doing. She smiled, first seeing that the book was gone, but frowned as she read the note that had stayed.

"Read it already, but thanks just the same. Andy," she read off of it. She scowled and pulled the one sheet off. She crumbled it in her hand and shot it toward the waste paper basket. She missed. 

Delia sat outside of the Principal's office. Her legs were long enough to just touch the floor when she pointed her toes, so she spent her time watching her legs swing back and fourth, and the different ways the fabric surrounding her knees looked as they moved. Some parts would unfold and then fold back into the same places, while others would refold into entirely new places. Her hand still hurt, and there were some very large traces of blood still on it. No one had given her a chance to clean it off; they probably knew that with the blood there, she had no case.

For the first time that Delia could imagine, she cringed seeing her Dad walk into the room, and be immediately escorted to the Principal's office, by way of a corridor that allowed no contact between her and him at any point. That was a sneaky trick and even she knew it. Let the administration plant their view of what happened in the parent's brain, and let it take root, so no matter how much the student pruned, that view would always be the ground work. It was a dirty trick, something only a grown up would do. 

About half an hour later according to the school clock, which Delia highly suspected of being slow to the minute, Andy emerged from the Principal's office on her side of the translucent glass wall. He had a look of pure… confusion, on his face. It was the kind of look a person usually only gets when they witness a penguin crossing a busy high way in Los Angles safely. Delia looked away from him to her knees, which were now still. 

The drive on the way home was one of those _too_ quiet rides. One where everyone is uncomfortable in it, yet the silence remained. When Andy pulled up in front of their house, he turned off the engine and they both remained still. Finally, Andy, being the adult of the two, turned to his daughter.

"You hit him in the face?" he asked, almost not believing the words, or, not believing which of his offspring he was saying it to. 

"You told me to!" she came to her defense. For a brief instant that penguin look relit itself on Andy's face. He quickly blinked it a way.

"When have I ever told you to hit anybody?" he asked her. She sighed, not believing he had forgotten something she had remembered so well.

"When I didn't understand why Magilla was being so mean to me, you said that the way a boy tells you he likes you is if he hits you. Well, I wanted Torres to know I liked him, so I hit him, like you said," Delia explained. Now that penguin look had completely invaded Andy's poor face.

"Wait a minute… you like this kid?"

"I was only taking your parental advice to heart Dad, using your wisdom to get my point across. And personally, I don't think you knew what you were talking about…" Delia told him, getting out of the car, leaving Andy's bottom jaw in the unused ashtray.

"Who is this _boy? Delia? Delia!" _


	75. why has no one mentioned penny?

As Delia trudged up to her room and Andy came into the house and into the kitchen, neither of them noticed the two teenagers in the living room. Ephram sat at the piano which fit him well, and on a chair next to him sat Jig, with a cello between her knees. After Ephram's sister and father entered and exited the two's sight, they turned to each other.

"What was that?" Jig asked him. He shrugged and turned back to the piano keys.

"I don't want to know. You want to start from the top again?"

"Yeah. I just can't seem to get it. If I mess it up Friday-" 

"There is no place you can hide, bwa ha ha," Ephram said, laughing in an evil guy kind of way. Jig laughed a little.

"Yeah, something like that. But, you, my piano playing friend, have gotten it down pat… or George, or Arnold, or Chris…" Jig said, questioning the ability to get something down 'pat.' Ephram laughed slightly.

"Pat, adjective. Completely, exactly, or perfectly," Ephram told her. Jig just kind of looked at him, slightly scared that he knew that, but also slightly amused by it. 

"I have trouble believing there's any one else in the world like you, Ephram Brown… What is your middle name anyway?" she asked him. He looked at her, a little surprised by the question.

"Andrew," he said and she nodded, not very surprised.

"That makes sense. It could have been worse, you could be Ephram Jehovah Brown…" she said and he laughed.

"I suppose so. What's your middle name?" he asked her. She looked at him, confused.

"Ira… Remember? Juliet _Ira Green. J-I-G. Ira…" she said. Ephram looked at her, the information redeveloping in his mind. He cringed when it came to him._

"Right! I knew that! Jesus where is my mind today?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"I guess you haven't gotten it down pat yet," she told him and he grinned at her.

When Nina woke up in the morning she found the bed space next to her empty. She rubbed a starch feeling from her hair, and scratched the dry saliva that been left on the corners of her mouth by a night of light drooling.  She stood up onto well rested legs and grabbed her nightgown, which she, ironically, only wore in the morning. 

She could hear the sound of her husband's voice and followed it down the hall. First she peeked through the crack of Sam's room, and found her son undisturbed. She walked down to the next door to find it wide open. She peeked in just enough to make sure it was safe, before walking into the room fully, with a smile on her face. She found Carl holding Meredith in his hands, bouncing her slightly. The baby, by no means affected by the early hours of the day, was moving her head and wide open eyes around, taking in everything the room had to offer her. Nina smiled, very real amounts of joy lifting the ends of her lips. 

Ephram wasn't sure of the reason, but he did notice that breakfast was quieter than usual, and that his father and sister never looked each other in the eye. Keep in mind the difficulty to know the direction of two sets of pupils at the same time, and the fact that Ephram still noticed whenever he looked up from his bowl of cereal. Cereal. That too was a sign things were not right in the Brown homestead. Lately, Andy had actually been getting good at making breakfast foods, but today he showed no effort. There had always been at least an effort.

When the lack of speaking made Ephram start counting the number of times Delia chewed, Ephram had to do something to break the silence. So he cleared his throat and leaned off the kitchen counter. Neither his father nor his sister seemed to notice him, both lost in the evidently interesting world of their cereal bowls. So he cleared his throat again, almost to the point of pain, and still nothing. He sighed and shook his head.

"Look, I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but, if only for me, settle, it please?" he asked them, now of course having their attention. He stood up and pushed his chair in, leaving his now empty bowl on the counter. He grabbed his coat and his book bag. Andy was about to open his mouth to speak but found no words to pour from it. Delia, though obviously aware of Ephram's miniature speech, seemed twice as interested in her cereal bowl as before. Ephram sighed yet again, and shook his head, yet again.

"Okay, so, whatever. Just settle it as soon as you can, I have to get to school," he said as he walked toward the door. Just short of reaching it he turned back to look at them.

"Oh yeah, I have rehearsal after school today, and Desi and I might hang out after, but, I'll be home before supper," Ephram told his father. Andy nodded.

"Uh, yeah, okay," Andy muttered. Ephram nodded his head, happy to find out he wasn't just talking to himself.

"See ya later," Ephram said with a small wave and an exit. 

Before leaving for school that day, as Bright walked down the stairs and over to his coat, he noticed his sister with his parents, all nodding their heads. Bright paused slightly and watched as his sister smiled and walked toward him, most likely searching for her own coat.

"What was that about?" Bright asked in his way of not seeming like he was curious. 

"Oh, I just asked Mom and Dad if it's okay if I have some friends over Friday night, after the senior play. You know, like a girl's night…" she explained.

"Oh. Who are you asking over?"

"Jig and Desi."

"Won't Jig be with Mr. What's-His-Face?"

"Isaac's leaving after the play. I thought it'd be nice to help cheer Jig up," Amy explained. Bright nodded, somewhat getting it. 

"Hey, uh, I don't suppose you could invite Georgianna Prescott?" Bright asked. Amy paused on her way for the door and looked at him.

"The chess player?" she asked, surprised. He shrugged.

"You know, if you want to… just a suggestion… you don't have to…" Bright said not looking at her. He cleared his throat and walked out the door, leaving it open for his sister. Amy simply smirked, and followed him.

Delia had been quiet for most if not all of the day. Murasaki worried a little, but since she knew the reason for Delia's laconism she lost no hair over it. She did notice that Delia kept looking at Torres and Torres kept looking at Delia, without the other's knowledge. But, the odd part that Murasaki especially noticed, was that they each had the same look on their face. A worried, pouty, almost curious look. It was noticeably the same. She nudged Delia slightly, again during art class.

"Maybe you should apologize?" Murasaki told her. Delia looked at her, needing no clarification on whom they were talking about. She nodded simply, to Murasaki's surprise. Delia stood up and slowly walked over to Torres. She lightly tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and a few moments later Delia was laying on the floor, her hand on her right eye, and Murasaki leaning over her worriedly.

"Murasaki, do me a favor. Never give me advice ever again?"

"Deal," Murasaki said and helped Delia to her feet and to the nurse's office.

With a nagging grumble in his stomach Andy walked into Mama Joy's on his lunch break. Actually, it was earlier then he usually took his lunch break, but there was no one at the office and as afore mentioned, he had a nagging grumble. Due to his earliness, he did not have the privilege of supping with his colleague Dr. Abbott. But, instead, he had the greater privilege of having his lunch with someone nicer both in the mind and in the eyes. As he walked in he kept his coat on for the main purpose of keeping his hand at the right pocket of it. He sat down, pulled out the book from his pocket, and placed it next to his neighbor's plate. Her eyes, without any forethought, went to the object and she smiled. She chewed quickly and swallowed what appeared to be scrambled eggs and hash browns. She picked the book up and turned to him, he grinned.

"So can I return that here or do I have to stop off at the library?" he asked. She shook her head and placed the book in on the empty space next to her.

"Here is fine. Hello Andy."

"Hello Penny. Hey, who manages the library while you're here?" he asked her. She gave him a brief glance before turning to her meal.

"No one, it's closed."

"Oh, so it's good I came here then…" he said. She nodded.

"It's always a good idea Andy. What can I get you?" Nina asked walking over to them.

"Oh, uh, chicken fingers and coffee," he told her. Nina nodded, jotted it down on her pad, and walked away. Andy looked over to see Penny shaking her head.

"What?" he asked her. She looked at him and smiled.

"Chicken fingers. How… improbable…. See ya later Andy," Penny told him placing her money on the counter by her plate. She stood up and put her coat on. As she raised her arms to place the sleeves on, the stomach of her sweater rose as well and Andy caught a brief look of something odd.

"What's that?" he asked her as she straightened her jacket.

"What's what?"

"On your stomach, it looked like a scar."

"What are you talking about?" Penny asked him. His eyebrows burrowed slightly. Taking the initiative he reached forward and lifted the bottom of her shirt. She quickly batted his hand away and took a step back, but it wasn't quick enough. Andy had seen what he wanted.

"Penny, that's a scar from a cesarean…" he told her. She frowned.

"I know…. Bye…" she said and bolted quickly from the diner. Andy sighed and looked as Nina placed his chicken fingers in front of him.

"Nina, has Penny ever given birth?" he asked her. She froze like a deer in headlights.

"I got to go," she said and too bolted from him. Now Andy was plain confused and wore his trademark puppy face. He looked to his left and saw a book laying on the countertop. He picked it up and turned to the door.

"Penny you-!" he said but stopped when he looked at the book closer. Instead of being The Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus, it was Headlong Hall by Thomas Love Peacock. Andy chuckled slightly and shook his head.


	76. poor delia, poor andy, bwa ha ha

Amy walked down the school hallway on her way to gym class. The fact that she was going to gym class had her in a relatively bad mood. Nothing to the point of anger, but certainly by no means carefree. The worst part was she and Jig usually had gym together, but Jig was practicing for the play that was in a few days. That left Amy all alone to face the dangers of dodge ball…

When she came close to the gym doors she saw an ironic sight. Georgianna Prescott was at her locker. Of all the days that Amy had gone to gym, she had never seen Georgianna at her locker, except the day Bright mentions her. Amy took a deep breath and, because of the look on Bright's face from that morning, she approached the chess player.

"Uh, hi, Georgianna?" Amy said. The tall black girl turned to her with the same, solemn look she seemed to view everything with. 

"Hi, Amy."

"Um, okay, look. I'm having this girl's night sleep over at my house this Friday, after the play, and I was wondering if you'd like to come?" Amy asked her. Georgianna looked at her, the faint semblance of surprise slightly lifting her finely shaped eyebrows.

"I'll understand if you don't want to. I'm only asking because my brother asked me to…" Amy said rolling her eyes. Georgianna's head tilted slightly to one side.

"Bright asked you?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't have bothered you with it, but you should have seen the look on his face!" Amy said smiling. Georgianna smiled too, slightly.

"Sure," she said. Amy's frame shot up straight and she glared at Georgianna as if not knowing what language she was speaking.

"You will?"

"Yeah, right after the play, right?"

"Um, yeah. Uh, can I ask _why you're coming?" Amy asked her, completely confused. Georgianna gave a full smile._

"Because I want to see the look on his face."

During a break every musician left the band room except for Ephram and Jig. Even the teacher left for a break. Jig walked down the one large step and over to Ephram, who had by this point laid back down on the piano bench.

"Ow… my hands hurt…" he whined, rubbing the joints in his hands fervently. Jig sighed and sat on the linoleum floor by the bench, resting the back of her head on the side of Ephram stomach. 

"Your hands hurt? I'm the one who's been plucking strings for the last half an hour…" she said. He inhaled quickly through his teeth.

"That's right; Rich had a lot of trouble with that part. You okay?" he asked her. She frowned, inspecting her fingers.

"I need a band-aid…" she said. Ephram sat up, causing Jig's head to tilt back slightly but she quickly straightened it.

"Let me see," he said. He grabbed the hand she was currently examining and pulled it gently to his eye level. Jig frowned and sighed.

"You're bleeding…" he told her worriedly. He let go of her wrist and she rubbed it in her other hand.

"I noticed that too."

"You can bleed from playing the cello?" he asked her.

"Seems unlikely, doesn't it?"

"It seems impossible…"

"But, what are you going to do?" she said shrugging.

"Get a band-aid?"

"It'll only come off."

"Better the band-aid then your finger…" Ephram said. Jig contemplated that for a few moments.

"Good point!" she said and stood up. She walked toward the sink where a box of band-aids was when Isaac walked into the room. He smiled when he saw her walking toward him. She smiled back and took a band-aid out of the box. Isaac walked over to her quickly.

"Here I'll get that. What happened?" he asked her worriedly.

"Oh, major plucking…" she said. Isaac nodded in an odd understanding. Ephram watched from the piano bench as Isaac took out the band-aid and wrapped it around one of Jig's fingers. Ephram couldn't help but notice how comfortable Jig was to Isaac's touch. It didn't bother him, it's just, she was never that comfortable under his fingertips. It's not that she was uncomfortable; it's just that when Isaac touched her, it was like, she was home. Ephram snorted slightly and the bell rang and the rest of the musicians walked into the room. 

 "Okay Michael, I think I've nailed down what's wrong with you. You have Dyspepsia. That would account for the heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach, the gas, the constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and the heartburn. Plus the headaches," Andy told the rather large and shirtless man sitting on the examination table. Michael Tuttsmen took it like a man.

"Am I going to die, Doc?" he asked in a gruff voice. Andy laughed slightly.

"By no means. Your Dyspepsia is caused by an ulcer. I'm going to prescribe you a drug called cimetidine, it should induce the ulcer to heal," Andy said writing the prescription up and handing it to the man after he had his shirt on.

"Thanks Doc."

"No problem Michael."

"Doc, there's a call for you," Edna said poking her head into the office. Andy would have reprimanded her for not knocking first, but with Michael Tuttsmen; whatever Edna walked in on would have been punishment enough.

"I'll get it later…" he told her and turned back to Michael.

"It's Delia's school…" Edna told him. Andy fell silent. He then squeezed his eyes shut.

"Not _again_!" he whined. 

For some odd reason, which Ephram would probably not be told of while he cared, Ephram got home before Andy and Delia. Despite practice and hanging out with Desi, he still got home before them. He even had time to order out from Gino Chang's which he had paid for with the money he found in the couch cushions. His dad seriously needed to have his pockets mended. He was setting dinner on the table when Andy and Delia walked through the back door. Both had the same, malcontent look on their face that was obviously a family characteristic. Ephram looked surprised as he saw the purple and brown circles around Delia's eye as she walked past him.

"What happened to you?" he asked her worriedly.

"Irony…" she replied and walked out of the kitchen, followed by her equally grumpy father. Ephram sighed, shook his head, and sat down to dinner by himself. 

The Abbott family sat around the dinner table that night, feasting on leg of lamb and mashed potatoes within the skins. After the beginning of the meal it took a few minutes for conversation to begin. 

"So, Amy. What selection of videos did you rent for your little revelries Friday?" Dr. Abbott asked her. Amy swallowed and answered him.

"Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Some Kind of Wonderful, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and X-Men," Amy said. Dr. Abbott spit slightly into his cup on the last one.

"X-Men? That ostentatious piece of rubbish? Why, for heaven's sake, would you watch that?" he asked her. Amy raised her eyebrows briefly.

"Eye candy…" she said. Her father fell into a displeased silence. Rose cleared her throat.

"Who's coming, dear?" she asked. Amy turned her attentions to her mother.

"Jig and Desi."

"Well that's nice."

"Oh! And Georgianna Prescott!" Amy added. At that Bright suddenly started choking with whatever he had been eating.

"Bright?" Dr. Abbott asked but Bright only continued choking. Rose became agitated but Dr. Abbott stood up and gave his son a few, healthy slaps on the back. A piece of lamb popped from Bright's esophagus to his plate. Bright coughed a little more but reassured his family he was alright. Amy only smirked at him and shook her head. 

Ephram laid on his bed at about ten o'clock that night. He was dressed for bed, but otherwise not ready for it. He stared up at the ceiling though he wasn't really looking at it, so lost in his thought. In his CD player he had a recording of what he was going to play on Friday. His concentration was on his fingers, which he held above him at piano's length. He moved his hands and fingers according to the piano music he heard, trying to get the cause and effect to match up. He didn't hear the knock on his door but he did notice it opening. He looked over and saw Delia take a step into his room, dressed in her pajamas and with a head of messy hair showing that she had been in bed.

"Did I wake you?" he asked her, his eyes not so much on her but her eye. She shook her head and closed the door behind her. She walked over to his bed and sat down by his head, watching his fingers and hands still mechanically move to the music. 

"There's this boy, at school… I think I like him, and I wanted to tell him, and Dad said that boys express friendship by punching, so I punched him, to make sure he understood. I went over to him today to apologize, but, he got scared, he thought I was going to hit him again, so he hit me first…" Delia explained to her older and supposedly wiser brother. He had a look of understanding on his face, stilled his hands, and sat up so he could look down on her instead of up at her.

"First crushes always suck. It's inevitable. No matter what you do, it always gets messed up. It's a part of life," he reassured her. She looked up at him with the big, brown eyes that she had that seemed to always show every length of human emotion in them.

"What went wrong with yours?" she asked him. He inhaled heavily and leaned back slightly.

"Her name was May Cleaver…" he said smiling and laughing slightly.

"Didn't she used to live next door to us?"

"Yeah, that's her. Our rooms shared a wall…"

"What happened?"

"One night I put a hole through it…" he told her. Delia suppressed a grin and nodded.

"Mine's still worse…" she said and he nodded.

"Somehow I don't mind losing that one," he told her and she laughed slightly. 


	77. go delia! wohoo!

Thursday night Edna and Irv went out for dinner, Ein was out on the town, so Jig and Isaac were alone in the house. They stood in Jig's room, Isaac on the floor and Jig on her bed. They were placing pictures Isaac had brought from his journeys of men smiling enough to show their teeth on the wall behind her bed. He always collected them for her, and she always appreciated them. She saw one and started to laugh.

"Oh I like this one," she said and showed him the picture in her hands. It was of a homeless man of about eighty with a near toothless grin and holding up a sandwich in celebration of something. Isaac laughed seeing it too.

"Yeah, I thought you'd like that one. His name is Claude, he had just found out he's a grandfather," Isaac told her.

"Aw. Why does he look familiar?"

"He was in one of my movies…."

"Oh yeah. The chase through Paris. Didn't you almost hit him?"

"Well, yeah… But it was on purpose…" Isaac said with a glance to her before turning to paste more pictures on the wall. Jig chuckled slightly and shook her head.

"I'd never question it," she told him. He nodded to her, pleased. Suddenly the alarm on Isaac's digital watch started beeping and Isaac turned it off before it became annoying. 

"Oh damn. Hey I gotta go, can I use your phone first though?" Isaac asked her. Jig was disappointed but nodded to him.

"Thanks," he said and ran out the door. Jig bit her lower lip and turned back to her wall. Then quickly Isaac ran back into her room, lifted himself onto her bed with his leg, and kissed her briefly on the lips.

"I love you," he said and ran back out the door. Jig smiled when he was out of sight, she thought to herself for a few minutes, then shook her head, giggling very slightly.

That night Ephram got a phone call. He was told nothing but to be sitting on his back porch in an hour. He had an idea who the call was from, but decided to follow the instructions just the same. As expected, an hour after the phone first rung, Ephram was joined on the swing on his back porch. Ephram held his arms around him tightly, for warmth; the person next to him was wearing so many layers of clothing no heat could escape. 

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Ephram asked, staring coldly at the cold street across from him. Isaac sighed, and the frozen water of his breath danced briefly in front of him. 

"We're never going to like each other, you and I. I've pretty much decided on that and I'm sure you have too," Isaac started. Ephram nodded in complete agreement. Isaac sighed again. 

"I hope you never have to live without her always in your life. If she's not there for just a single day it feels like a chunk of your heart is gone…"   
Isaac told him. Ephram turned to him. 

"Then why did you leave?" he asked with no malice in his voice. Isaac let out another sigh, only this time deeper than before. 

"It had always been my dream to be an actor, always. Plus I never knew it would hurt this much. But it's too late now; I'm in too deep. It's like, like wanting to feel what it's like to be in quicksand, but once you try it and decide it's enough, you can't get out… you're stuck." 

"But you're not stuck; you can get out any time…" Ephram reminded him. Isaac turned to him, sadly. 

"No I can't. I have contracts and responsibilities; I have my money going to 25 different charities in LA alone, they all depend on me. Besides, even if I could get out, I have no place in her life anymore… you're her best friend." 

"Are you kidding me? Ever since you got here I've barely seen her, and, and when I do, all she talks about is you…" Ephram reassured him. Isaac's eyes narrowed into an expression that could look like sadness, but was actually joy. 

"I asked her to marry me once," he said. Ephram thought nothing of it. 

"When you were like, five, right?" 

"No," Isaac said and this surprised Ephram. "It was two years ago, when I got my first staring role. I spent most of my salary to buy her this gorgeous ring; I took her to dinner, the whole nine yards. But she turned me down. Told me to ask again on her eighteenth birthday, and I will, I still have the ring," Isaac explained reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small ring box. He opened it and showed Ephram the gold-banded Amethyst stone surrounded by small diamonds. Ephram inhaled strongly but silently and held it. At that point Andy opened the door and peered out at the boy presenting an engagement ring to his son, paused, shook his head, and went back inside. Isaac closed the box again and Ephram finally exhaled. 

"She'll only say 'no' again," Ephram told him. Isaac nodded, looking at the closed box. 

"Yeah," he replied and sighed, "You know, I believe that every woman should have only one engagement ring throughout her life. So, that's why I wanted to talk to you. Here," Isaac said and placed the ring box in Ephram's hand. Ephram stared at the box in complete and utter… fear. He turned to look at Isaac in quite the same way as he had gazed at the box. 

"But I'm not marrying Jig!" Ephram yelled. Isaac sighed and shook his head. 

"Of course you're not. I'd kill you before you could. But, you'll probably still be her friend when some undeserving guy asks her, and he'll come to you for advice, and you will give him that ring. Understand?" Isaac asked him. Ephram looked once again at the box before nodding. 

"Good, now, I have to go, take good care of that, and never tell her about it," Isaac said standing up and walking down the porch steps and toward the road. Ephram watched as Isaac stepped into a limo and rode off. Then he opened the box in his hand and stared at the magnificent ring. He smiled. It would be perfect for the paling color of her hands. 

Her eye still hurt. Not as it had, but it still bothered her. During math she usually placed her chin on the palm of her hand and rested her fingers on her cheek. Today, however, she could not, for that particular part of her cheek hurt when touched, and switching to the other cheek was unthinkable. Some how she managed to survive until art class rolled around again was mystifying. Art was quickly becoming Delia's least favorite of classes. She usually got more colors on skin than on paper. She didn't even get graded on that. Though that really didn't bother her so much. It was her eye that bothered her, and the look on Torres' face, even when he hadn't been looking at her. She imagined her eye looked about as bad as his nose, it probably felt the same as well. She hoped he didn't have a cold.

Somewhere, something inside of Delia went very, very wrong. She found her legs, against all of her will, raising the rest of her, and walking her carefully toward Torres. Despite Delia's objections, some power beyond her self stopped her behind him, and forbid her from moving. Then her mouth and vocal cords retaliated against her as well. No doubt in a conspiracy. 

"We need to talk," Delia's mouth said. Torres' head shot up and he looked at her. He got out of his chair and faced her.

"What?" 

"I didn't mean to hit you before. Well, I did, but, you see my dad told me that guys show that they like you by punching and I like you so I hit you! And then when I came over to talk to you again you hit me and I didn't get a chance to apologize for before so I'm sorry!" Delia's mouth muttered, this time with her mind consenting to it, in one very long breath. Torres blinked a few times, most likely from confusion rather than dry eyeballs. Then he nodded. Very quickly, and ironically by no will of his own, Torres leaned forward, and kissed Delia briefly on the lips. He then quickly pulled away, under his own control, and the two nine year olds stared at each other, no words and no ideas coming to either. Then, suddenly, the same idea came to them both at once. Flight. Delia took a step to the left and Torres one to the right. Unfortunately, two steps were needed on both accounts, and the two collided. They each took a step in the opposite direction they had before, and collided yet again. Finally Delia turned around and walked forward, and Torres stood still. Delia sat down at her table again and answered Murasaki nothing. 

Andy walked into the library with a bouquet of primrose. He had realized that he had a small ability of, well, getting in where he doesn't belong in other people's lives. Safe to say, he was sure he had done it yet again, this time to Penny. It was true, their relationship went nothing beyond an exchange of literature and a few minutes of speech, but they were some few minutes he happened to enjoy. He found that it was rare to find people in Everwood with the same knowledge as him, in any subject. Penny, however, seemed to have his knowledge and choice of books, and that was something. He never brought up any personal information about her unless she initiated it, and she already knew everything about him. Even through their minor conversations, Andy learned Penny was not an incredibly open person when it came to her own life. The life of Shakespeare and Tennyson she could go into great detail, but her own life, it seemed like that space had been covered, _buried_, even. And Andy had tried to dig it up again. That scar, that child, for he knew what the scars were, must be a painful memory for her. Even Nina wouldn't tell him about it, and Nina would tell him anything.

He found the desk empty, as he would suspect and prefer it to be. He placed the primroses and Headlong Hall on the countertop. He looked around to see if she was coming in any direction, but found no sight of her. Being a librarian kept Penny quite busy. Andy sighed, straightened the bouquet so it looked nicer laying on the book, and headed for the way out. A few steps short of the exit his hand swept his coat pocket and he stopped. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out A Dead Man in Deptford by Anthony Burgess. Andy quickly looked at the back of the book to find himself named as the borrower. He sighed and searched the library again from where he stood. He saw no one but a four foot three, seventy year old woman looking at the large print selection. Andy turned back to the book and smiled, shaking his head.

"How the hell does she do that?" he asked and walked out with the book in hand. 


	78. happy 300th review and 9 month anniversa...

Ephram got off from school early on Friday so he could go home and change. There was going to be an hour of practice before the actual performance, and they wanted everyone dressed for it. Practically half of the school got to go home early. Ephram stood in front of his mirror adjusting his tie. It was the same suit he had worn for Valentine's Day, and Jig's few stitches had held out well. 

As Ephram looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes moved to the reflection of the dresser behind him. His eyes fell dead on the ring box sitting on the top of the dresser. He frowned and turned to face it dead on. It sat like an enemy, mocking him. When Jig wears that ring, he'll lose her. He lost Jig so much with her just having a _friend around. What'll happen if she gets _married_? There's no way Jig can find a person like Desi, who knows Jig and Ephram are just friends. Sometimes when Ephram said it like that even he didn't believe it, the phrase "just friends" breeds doubt. Ephram severely doubted anyone in the world would be as trusting as Desi is. When Jig wears that ring, he'll lose her forever, or until she gets divorced. Though, of all the thoughts plaguing him, the worst of it was, if some guy wanted to ask Jig to marry him, Ephram would still give up the ring. _

As Ephram walked down the sidewalk back to school he noticed someone walking along the other side of the road. He stopped and realized it was Jig. She waved to him, just noticing his presence as well, and jogged across the street to him. From what he saw she was wearing a closed black coat, a feminine version of his own, and classy black slacks.

"You wore pants?" he asked her as the two continued along their way.

"Well of course. You forget my instrument goes between my knees," she told him. He nodded.

"Right, I forgot I play the better instrument," he said and she hit him in the arm, and they both chuckled slightly. 

The crowd piled into the auditorium pretty steadily. Andy found himself and Delia a seat before looking with his head for any sign of Ephram, or even Jig. He noticed Desi sitting next to Isaac in the front row, and Edna and Irv seated between Andy and Desi. There was a seat vacant next to Irv, and Andy chuckled slightly, knowing he wouldn't be too surprised if Ein was sitting there. Andy's eyes then drifted to a woman walking into the auditorium. It was Penny wearing a smooth black dress that had a rose pattern wrapping around it. Her hair was tied up nicely, and adorned with a few, perfectly placed, primroses. Andy smiled and sat down. A few moments later, the curtains parted.

After the play the four girls got together in the parking lot. Ephram and Isaac joined them. Bright joined them too, but, he was crouched behind a car, not letting them see him. Jig and Isaac had their arms around each other and looked natural that way. Desi noticed the discomfort their comfort had on her boyfriend, and took a gentle hold of Ephram's hand. His skin jumped at the first contact, but calmed with the transfer of warmth from her hand. 

"So when does your plane leave?" Amy asked Isaac, really being the only one who felt like speaking.

"In about five hours. I'll be leaving Everwood in an hour…" Isaac said and very visibly held Jig closer. Amy nodded, being aware of the delicate subject matter.

"Well, we'll leave you guys to say your goodbyes; we'll be by the car, Jig, when you're ready…" Amy said nodding to the car she didn't know Bright was behind. Jig nodded graciously to her as the four made there way toward the car, Desi slightly dragging Ephram who seemed to have no attention to what was before him.   
  
  


Isaac sighed and Jig held tighter onto his arm. She looked up at him, and, by some cosmic bond, he looked down at her at the same time. 

"I'm going to miss you, Juliet," Isaac told her, smiling slightly to cover a thousand tears. She looked away from him and pressed her cheek harder to his arm.

"Everything is changing so quickly Isaac, it doesn't even seem like any of it is real anymore. Like this is some dream, and soon I'm going to wake up in LA…."

"It's nicer here, Juliet. You're safe. You don't have to wake up afraid, anymore…."

"But I do. I am afraid. I'm afraid this is real, and I'm afraid it isn't. If it's not real, my life is at danger every day, but my mom will be alive. If it is real, I've moved to paradise, but my mother is dead," she explained. Isaac closed his eyes and patted the top of her head with his hand.

"It's real, Juliet. But don't be sad, this is what your mother wanted for you all along. She wanted you to be safe; she wanted you to be in a world where you had no restraints. That's all the both of us ever wanted for you. And you are safe here, you're safer here then I ever thought I'd admit to," Isaac said and sighed. Jig smiled and looked up at him. She hugged him tighter.

"I'm going to miss you too tiger," she told him. He waved his free hand in the air femininely and made a cute 'meow' sound. Jig laughed slightly.

"Oh I love you," she said and kissed him.

Through some, mean, completely awful, cosmic joke, and against all commonly known laws of nature and the meaning of the universe, Ephram and Isaac found themselves walking around Everwood for an hour. Ephram's attention was on the sidewalk, which with warmer weather on its way was clear and dry. The stars held Isaac's gaze, for he had little seen them in the course of his life. They both knew who they were walking with, but despite their current closeness neither cared to admit it. Finally Ephram let out a loud breath.

"What's her favorite children's story?" he asked. Isaac laughed slightly.

"Roxaboxen. Who was her first boyfriend?" Isaac asked in return. Ephram bit his lower lip. 

"You?" he asked questionably. Isaac laughed at the idea.

"No, I'm sad to say. His name was Mickey Osterstrom, in 2nd grade."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. They hated each other all year, but in June he kissed her and they had a quasi relationship for the summer. Then he ate a bug and she dumped him!" Isaac said and they both laughed. Then soon realized they were laughing together and stopped rather abruptly. 

"Who was her last boyfriend?" Ephram asked, wondering if Jig had told him about Orrie. Ends up, she never did. 

"Um, oh damn and blast, I have no idea…. We lost touch for a few months, when I was in Europe…" Isaac said, obviously not joyous about the loss of communication. Ephram bit his lower lip slightly again but stopped. Isaac was more in the dark than Ephram thought. 

"Orrie Jackson, my cousin, ended late December," Ephram informed him. Isaac would have choked, had he anything in his mouth. 

"You're kidding me!"

"Nope. His father wanted him to come live with him, Jig told him to go, so he did," Ephram explained. Isaac nodded his head, actually understanding. 

"That actually sounds perfectly like Jig. She's always cared about people knowing their father."

"Yeah, I know. It was weird when we went to see her dad's grave," Ephram told him. Isaac stopped.

"You what?"

"Okay, okay, quiet down ladies, now we have Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Some Kind of Wonderful, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and X-Men. Which one first?" Amy asked holding the movies in her hands. The three other girls thought about it. They were all in their pajamas already and sitting in Amy's room. Amy stood by her TV, Desi and Jig sat on the foot of Amy's bed, and Georgianna sat on her own sleeping bag.

"Well, X-Men is for last," Georgianna said. Amy and Desi agreed, but Jig, out of the typical teenage loop, was confused.

"Why last?"

"So when we go to sleep, it'll be fresh in our minds."

"That way we get a better chance of dreaming about Raybans and muttonchops," Georgianna elaborated. Jig nodded her head in understanding.

"But that still doesn't solve which one we should watch now," Amy reminded them.

"Well Ferris Bueller's Day Off is always great to start with. The rest we can watch half asleep."

"Yeah, plus, it's not like we haven't seen them all already."

"I haven't," Jig murmured. The three others looked at her.

"You're kidding?"

"Nope," she replied. Almost instantly the three other girls flew to her, telling her the best parts of their favorites movies from the selection. Jig smiled nervously and tried to listen to each the best she could. 


	79. i'm being rather mean to andy recently, ...

  
  


"My dad abandoned me when I was just a baby. My mom hates him, she never talks about him. I knew less about my father than Jig does about hers. But Kathy, Jig's mom, was always telling us stories about Donny, Jig's father. There was always a story for her to tell us. Sure, most of them were repeats, but Kathy could make anything interesting. Hell, she taught me how to sew. But, anyway, I never really told Jig this, but, I always felt like her dad was kind of, you know, my own. Those stories are the closest thing I've ever had to a father," Isaac explained to a silent Ephram. Ephram was escorting Isaac to the now dark and damp cemetery. It was true, cemeteries did seem scarier at night than during the day, but, with what must be a trait of all of Jig's friends, neither boy was afraid.   
  
  


It had been some time since Ephram had located Lt. Donald Green's cenotaph. Much of the snow had melted and the stones were dark and wet, but Ephram found it well enough. After he pointed it out to Isaac, Ephram stood a few stones back and let Isaac stand before the grave alone. For a few moments, as the wind howled, the stars shown from the clear sky, and the two boys stood unscathed, Isaac stared at the stone in silence. Then he bent down on one knee a few inches from the badly lit stone. This action took Ephram by surprise, considering the ground on which he was kneeling was cold and damp. Isaac bade the conditions no mind. 

"I know you were a good man," Isaac suddenly said, completely directed to the cenotaph. 

"Kathy told Juliet everyday about what a good man you were. Neither of them ever stopped loving you, never," he added and paused. 

"You'd be so proud of her, Juliet, your daughter. She's had to face some of the toughest things in the world, and she's always come out on top. I owe her everything I have. And hence I owe a duty to you, and, I think I know what I can do…" Isaac said and fell silent. Ephram had been watching Isaac curiously, with his head tilted to one side. Isaac stood up and turned to Ephram. Ephram's eyes went first to Isaac's muddied knee but than up to his solemn face. Isaac's eyes were held steadfast on Ephram's. After a few moments, Ephram nodded in understanding. 

"Don't worry, I won't tell her you were here," Ephram reassured him. Isaac smiled and walked past him, toward the gate. Ephram looked at Lt. Donald Green's cenotaph, bowed his head slightly, and followed Isaac.   
  
  


The two best friends Jig ever had continued walking side by side down Everwood's wide sidewalks. The mud of Isaac's knee was beginning to dry but slowly so. Ephram sighed. 

"So, what's this movie of yours premiering next week?" he asked. Isaac laughed slightly, and shook his head. 

"There is no movie. And I wasn't in Paris, I trust she told you that as well," Isaac told him. Ephram looked at him, again confused by the Hispanic star. Isaac picked up on it. 

"I made it up. I just wanted an excuse to stop by and get the lay of things." 

"You could have done that anytime." 

"Yeah, but I wanted to arrive on, well, you know," Isaac told him shrugging. Again Ephram stared at him confused, almost mimicking his father's puppy face. Isaac picked up on that as well, and became confused himself. 

"You do know, right? February 27th…" Isaac said but got no response, "Jig's birthday…" 

At that Ephram's eyes widened to the size of a dinner plate, but he quickly recovered. 

"Oh, yeah, duh. I had forgotten which day you got here. Her birthday, yeah, of course," Ephram said, pretending to have known it all along. Isaac nodded, but his eyes showed little as to whether or not he believed Ephram's ruse.   
  
  


In front of Jig's house Isaac's limo parked, so the two stopped their walk there. Isaac's things were already in the car, and through the window the driver could be seen, a California poppy sticking out of his breast pocket. Isaac stopped and turned to Ephram. He extended his hand. Ephram spied it suspiciously at first, but then shook it firmly. 

"I still don't like you Ephram, but Jig does, and you've seemed to keep her in one piece through everything. I'm more grateful for that then you'll ever know," Isaac told him. Ephram nodded in understanding. In truth, Ephram did realize how he owed Isaac. Isaac helped shape Jig into who she was, without Isaac, the Jig Ephram was friends with may never have existed. Isaac reached into his pocket and pulled out a poppy. He handed it to Ephram, who took it. 

"See you later man," Isaac said, getting into the limo. 

"You too," Ephram replied as Isaac closed the door and the car drove off. Ephram stood on the sidewalk and watched the back lights of the car until it turned a corner and out of view. He then looked down at the orange poppy in his hand, and smiled. He looked up toward the house and saw Ein in one of the second story windows. Ein soon realized he had been spotted and vanished. Ephram smiled again and shook his head. 

During Ferris Bueller's Day Off the girl's sat in near darkness, their surroundings lighted only by the TV screen. Only Jig attempted to speak during the movie, and she was always quieted by the other three. Whether that was to increase her viewing pleasure or their own, was not known. Toward the end of the movie, Georgianna, who now sat on Amy's bed, looked over to who she assumed was one of the girls who had sat next to her during the movie. Instead it was Bright. Georgianna yelled in surprise and threw her freshly filled bowl of popcorn into the air. The bowl itself landed safely on the bed with a slight bounce, but most of its contents landed on an agitated Bright. Needless to say, his sister and cousin soon got him out of the room under a threat of violence that came more from Jig then from Amy. Coming from Jig it had more weight, having broken his nose once already before. 

Delia and Andy were already watching a movie by the time Ephram walked through the door. The two got a brief glimpse of the teenager but enough for Andy to form an inquiry. 

"Uh, Ephram, where'd you get the flower?" Andy asked him right before Ephram went out of view. The boy stopped and replied.

"Isaac gave it to me," Ephram told him. Andy's eyebrows burrowed in worry, remembering past events.

"Um, okay…" Andy responded and Ephram went up to his room. Still worried, or at least confused, Andy looked down at Delia as if looking at his last hope. The daughter leaning against him looked up.

"I don't think it's anything you have to worry about…" she reassured him. He nodded, still worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah I know that…. Watch the movie," he told her and she did so, smiling. 

After the last John Hughes movie and before X-Men, the four girls decided to discuss a stereotypical girl discussion. Boys. The current area of boys they were discussing was their own current situations with them, and which of the four had it the worst. 

"Well it's not Desi," Amy said and the others agreed. Desi laughed slightly.

"Why not me?" she asked questionably.

"Because Jig turned Ephram into the perfect boyfriend," Amy explained. Jig nodded.

"I am good," Jig agreed. Desi hit her briefly with a pillow and laughed.

"Well what about Jig? Her guy is coming and going in one handsome, nice smelling, swoop," Desi offered. Jig shook her head.

"Nah, I think a boyfriend with amnesia is worse then a friend who comes and goes," Jig said. Georgianna nodded.

"True. But I still think I win."

"Why's that?" Desi asked her.

"Because all of my boy issues revolve around Bright," Georgianna told them matter-of-factly. The other three looked at each other and than back to Georgianna.

"She wins," they said all at once, then started laughing.

For the same reason rainfall is relaxing, so is a shower. Ephram didn't know why that was, but, he wasn't really interested, either. Normally things he didn't know gave him an urge to find them out, but, this didn't. Some things, it's true, are best appreciated when unexplained. Like Spam, or bologna. Best left unexamined. Ephram had an entire week to wash off. In a way he felt like Lady Macbeth, trying to rub off a stain that was really much more than a simple stain. Some blotch he had ultimately inflicted upon himself. Despite how much he loved Desi, and he did, he still made himself too dependent on Jig. He knew he did, and Isaac proved it. There's no way he should have felt so undermined. He sighed and looked down at the drain below him, the water was clear but he knew it ran wild with his mistakes, his, clinginess…. It washed them off of him, leaving him clean. He had been such an idiot. Fighting over a friend. He never would have done that in New York. He was surprised that Jig didn't despise him, always being around her, always needing her. Though, in true fact, he knew she didn't despise him, she was still his friend. Maybe he took advantage of her, grasping on to the first real bout of friendship he had since he got to Everwood, and refusing to let her go, even to her own best friend. Isaac loved Jig. Ephram knew that. Ephram had no reason to fight with him over her. Ephram had been so selfish, trying to deny Isaac who he loved, trying to deny Jig who he knew she loved. All because he didn't let go of her. And of course, he realizes it now, when it's too late. He hoped the water trickling down his arms and legs washed him of his selfishness. He hoped it washed him clean.


	80. jig took one of bright's balls! hahahaha...

During the night Amy woke up to a familiar but unexpected sound. She looked over the sides of her bed and found Desi and Georgianna in their sleeping bags, but Jig's was vacant. Amy turned to her window and sighed. She carefully and quietly got out of bed and slipped on her bathrobe and slippers, and made her way out of her room. 

It was cool outside, but the early March breeze made it cold. Amy followed the familiar sounds until she came to the driveway. There she found what she didn't want to find but knew she would. Jig was standing in the driveway wearing her slippers and one of Amy's extra bathrobes. Also, from somewhere, Jig had found one of Bright's basketballs, and was currently throwing it toward the basket, making it more then missing. Every few moments Jig would raise a hand and rub her nose, and Amy wondered if that was because of the cold, or because of something else. 

Jig seemed oblivious of Amy as the blonde walked down the steps and to the edge of the driveway, her hands tucked under her arms for warmth. Conveniently Jig missed a shot and the ball came rolling to Amy's feet. Some would call it a sign that the two should talk. Amy took it that way, Jig didn't. Amy picked the ball up and tossed it to Jig with an ability Bright would be surprised to learn of. Jig turned away from her cousin and toward the basket once again.

"Sorry I woke you," Jig said dribbling then shooting from the driveway's equivalent of the foul line. She made it and the ball returned to her on its own.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked her. Jig shot and made it.

"Since when do you care?" Jig asked dribbling the returned ball once again. Amy frowned.

"Jig…" she said sternly. Jig sighed, her eyes still on the ball coming and going from her hands. 

"It's not fair," Jig said wiping her nose once again and shooting. She made it, and again the ball returned to her. Amy frowned again, sadly.

"It isn't always fair," Amy told her. Jig held the basketball in her hands, pressing it together on both sides. 

"I know that! Don't you think I know that!" Jig yelled looking at her. Amy was silent, noticing the moonlight hitting the tears silently moving down Jig's face and around her clenched teeth. Jig pressed the basketball so hard Amy could see the white of her knuckles even in the dimness. Finally Jig squeezed some more tears out and, with a loud, angry yell, threw the basketball across the street. It landed in a bush, missing the house. Jig collapsed onto the ground crying and Amy ran too her, putting her arms around her. 

It was kind of late at night but Delia had her light on and stood at the window, peering out at the darkened house across the street. She sighed, and fingered the skin under her eye a little. It didn't really hurt anymore, but it still felt weird. Kind of numb, kind of, not… She sighed and looked up at the cold stars. This crush thing was really not worth it. What, _who_, could be worth all of this? Delia didn't have anyone to talk to about it, either. Her dad would only worry, her brother would only worry more, Murasaki didn't understand, Nina had so many other things going on, and the idea of talking to Edna about a crush, was, well, generally not a good idea. If this is what a simple crush is like, falling in love must really bite.

Delia sighed again and looked toward Torres' house. Her already wide eyes widened still when she saw light laying against the neighboring front porch roof, the same way hers did. Suddenly, she saw a head and a pair of shoulders lean out the window, tilted toward the stars. Then, of course as it always goes when spying on someone, he turned to her. They both saw each other instantly and retraced their heads back into their rooms, no doubt thinking the same thing in words their parents wouldn't let them say. Delia sighed, turned off her lights, and went to bed. 

Monday Andy was feeling stuffed into his office so he decided to stand in front of it for some fresh air. There wasn't much of a breeze but the sun had been shinning brightly and it warmed his face. He closed his eyes and faced up at the clouds, smiling. This was something he wouldn't be able to do in New York City. Moments like this were one of the reasons he moved to Everwood. He heard a familiar voice so looked across the street and opened his eyes. He smiled seeing Penny walking out of Dr. Abbott's office, buttoning up her jacket as she moved. As she began to walk away she stopped and saw Andy watching her. He waved and jogged across the street to her.

"Feel like a walk?" 

"I think I can do that."

"Now originally, the town was called Montañas del Cielos, it was settled by the Mexicans. When the United States won the land they changed it to Everwood, after Ronny," Penny explained as she and Andy walked around town. Andy nodded.

"Mountains of the Heavens?" he asked. This time she nodded.

"Something like that. Now, our current City Hall is built where the original City Hall was. Actually it's funny that we call the original City Hall 'City Hall,' really it was just a shack. Barely a shack, actually it was more like a… are you laughing at me?" Penny asked Andy, who shook his head, laughing.

"No, it's just, do you have a life of your own?" Andy asked her. Penny opened her mouth surprised.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, you only seem to talk about books or Everwood. The only I thing I really know about _you _is that you're divorced and you have scars no one will tell me about…" Andy told her. Penny paused and sighed heavily.

"Do you remember when you asked me why I went to Dr. Abbott's instead of coming to you?" she asked him. He nodded. Penny sighed again.

"I go to Dr. Abbott because when I found out I was pregnant, he was my doctor. When I gave birth, he was my doctor. When my daughter got sick, he was my doctor. And when my daughter _died_, he was my _friend_…" Penny said and bit her lower lip. Andy looked away from her to his feet. She scratched the ridge of her nose.

"Martin blamed me for letting her get sick, and I hated him for blaming me, so we got divorced. He lives in Oregon now, with a new wife, three kids, and I'm the town librarian," she explained. Take it fair enough to say, Andy had no idea what to do. Had her husband died, he could help. But her child, that was, impossible…. 

"What was her name?" he asked. She looked at him and forced a smile.

"Kara. She was three."

"I'm sor-"

"Don't! Don't say you're sorry. _You_ should know it doesn't do any good," she told him. He closed his mouth and nodded. 

Ephram walked down Main Street listening to music. He needed a new folder for some odd class and figured he'd pick up one while he was out getting supper from Mama Joy's. Unfortunately, due to the music, he was unaware he was being followed until his follower was upon him. Ephram yelled in surprise when he felt the pair of hands clasp onto his shoulders. He turned around to find Desi smiling at him. He turned his music off and lowered the earphones.

"What are you listening to?" she asked.

"Oh, uh. Cowboy Bebop soundtrack," he said. She nodded.

"Spike, Faye, Jet, Ed, and Ein?" Desi asked making sure. Ephram nodded.

"Très bon!" Ephram said. Desi laughed.

"Merci! You'll be ready to talk to my grandparents soon!"

"Oh don't count on it," he said and they laughed together. Desi then cleared her throat and looked at him, seriously.

"Have you talked to Jig recently?" she asked. Ephram shook his head, sadly.

"Not since Friday night," he admitted. Desi bit her lip and nodded.

"She broke down, Friday night, during the sleep over," Desi told him. Ephram's eyes widened. He took a step away from her but she stopped him.

"She's fine, Amy took care of her," Desi reassured him but it did little good. 

"I should have been there for her!" he said. Desi laughed slightly at that, trying to help him lighten up.

"Ephram it was like, one o'clock in the morning!"

"I would have come!"

"I know you would have, and that's why I love you," Desi said placing her hands on Ephram's face and smiling at him. Ephram calmed down and a small smile lifted the sides of his mouth, ever so slightly. Desi's touch always calmed him, even at the bottom of that hill, when she wrapped his arm, he felt calm and safe. He leaned forward and kissed her. He pulled away and smiled at her.

"I love you too."

When Andy got out of his car he noticed Nina sitting on her porch, rocking Meredith in her arms. He walked over to the steps of her porch and smiled at her.

"Where's Carl?" he asked. Nina looked up from the baby, noticing Andy.

"He left this afternoon," she told him. Andy nodded in understanding.

"How'd it go?" he questioned. Nina smiled before responding.

"He loves her as much as I do," she said, still smiling. 

"Congratulations."

"I never doubted that he would. Well, I suppose I did a little, but that was just fear. He says she bears his mother's name well."

"I'm glad for you, Nina. And for Meredith, too."

"Thanks, Andy," Nina told him. Andy nodded his head to the two of them, and walked into his house. 


	81. hang in there, kitty!

"See, here, right here! You don't get animation like that in US cartoons," Jig said as she crouched in front of a TV screen. Amy sat on the couch behind her. 

"But what about Pixar and stuff? Their animation is pretty good," Amy said. Jig sighed, shook her head, and sat next to her second cousin on the couch. 

"Well, yeah. But that's all computers and stuff. That's science, not art. This, this is all done by hand. Thousands and thousands of individually drawn cells to make only a few minutes…. In CGI it's all done by the computers," Jig told her. Amy nodded, not understanding really but deciding she didn't want Jig to explain it again… for a number of reasons. 

"Hello girls…. Can I get you anything?" Dr. Abbott asked walking into the room. 

"No Dad." 

"No thanks, Harry…" Jig replied. Amy gave her a questioning glance, but Dr. Abbott looked at her with an almost horror stricken stare. Finally he blinked and walked upstairs. 

Dr. Abbott walked into the bedroom he and Rose shared to find his wife straightening her dresser. She turned, noticed his entrance, and returned to her tidying. Dr. Abbott sat down on the bed, staring through the doorframe to the hallway wall. 

"Hello Harold," Rose said. He didn't respond and she quickly noticed. She settled her hands and turned to him, worried. 

"Harold are you alright?" she asked him. He nodded, not turning around to see her. 

"Yes, I'm fine. Jig just called me 'Harry,' " he replied. Rose laughed slightly and went back to her tidying once again. 

"Okay Harold, where'd you hide her body?" Rose asked him jokingly. 

"No, no… It's just… When she said it, she reminded me so much of Kathy…" Dr. Abbott explained. Rose turned to him, frowned, and sat down next to him. She rested her head on her tall husband's shoulder. 

"I know how much you cared about Kathy, Harold." 

"She protected me from Linda," Harold explained. Rose laughed slightly. 

"We all miss her. It was a tragic and unfair thing that happened to us." 

"I know that! It's just, well, it threw me off, that's all. She's so much like Kathy," Harold to her. Rose nodded. 

"Only she hasn't shot anything yet," Rose said. Harold chuckled slightly and wiped from his eye what the passing stranger might construe as a tear. 

Andy sat at his desk, looking at the files that needed to be filled in front of him, but not really seeing them. He was tapping his pen on the top of his head and looking at the book sitting on the edge of his desk. He finally sighed and hurriedly stood up, grabbed the book, and headed to the waiting room. He reached the door and stopped right before his hand touched the doorknob. He rubbed his fingers on the palm of his hand and gripped the book tightly with the others. Finally he gathered strength and walked into the waiting room and over to Edna's desk. The retired Army nurse looked at the book he handed her with a questionable stare. 

"Since we don't have anyone here now, can you return this to the library while I work on some paperwork? I have a stack that comes up to my knees and you've been stuck in the office all day…" Andy suggested. Edna narrowed her eyes slightly but took the book, grabbed her leather Army jacket, and left. 

Andy paced around the waiting room for a few minutes before the door to the street opened and someone walked inside. She called Andy's name and he turned to her and sighed. 

"Lock the door, will you?" he asked. She gave him a familiar questionable glance but obeyed and followed the doctor into his office. He closed the door behind her and motioned for her to sit down. She obeyed the wordless command and he sat in his own chair. They were quiet for awhile before Andy spoke. 

"Now Jig, as your physician I do have access to your records from LA," Andy told her. Jig sat somewhat nervously in her chair, playing with the sleeve of her sweater with her fingers. Andy sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. 

"_All of your records…. I know what today is for you, and, I have a re-" _

"You're not going to tell Ephram, are you?" the now scared girl cut in. Andy sighed and shook his head. 

"No. This is between you and me…. But there is something I'd like you to do for me." 

"Like blackmail?" 

"No, Jig, I'd never blackmail anyone, you know that." 

"Right, sorry, I'm just…." 

"It's okay, I understand. Well, I don't really, but I can assume, and I'm probably not even close," Andy told her. One corner of Jig's mouth went up slightly and her head tilted to one side in an attempt to seem at ease. 

"So what is this… 'something?'" she asked him. He sighed, setting a serious tone for the request. 

"There's someone I want you to talk to. You've gone through what she's going through. You can help her like no one else can," Andy told her. Jig bit her lower lip and thought for a moment. 

"I…" she started and fell silent again, "alright, I'll talk to her." 

Jig had left before Edna returned, and since no question about Jig came from his nurse, Andy assumed they had either missed each other or Jig had covered nicely. When Edna did return from her errand she knocked on open doorway to Andy's office. He looked up from the pile of work that he really did need to do and invited her forward. 

"Is there something wrong?" Andy asked her. She shook her head. 

"Nah. Penny wanted me to give this to you. Something about it being right up your alley and some other stuff I don't remember," Edna said placing a brown paper bag in front of him, and leaving. Andy smirked at it slightly and picked it up. He pulled the book out. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, staring Private Eye Sam Spade. Andy chuckled slightly, set the book down again, and continued with his work, leaving the book for a better time. 

Bright sat in his lab once again, not paying attention to much of anything but, dare he ever say it, the apple of his eye. He felt so stupid. Once upon a time, Bright remembered, he was cool, collected, confident, _overly confident! But now, the thought of talking to Georgianna turned him into some poor, practically shaking, geek. He was a geek! She turned him into a geek and she didn't even know it! He wanted to get her out of his mind, he wanted to leave her behind and return to what he once was. He just, __couldn't. The whole thing really reminded him of Shrek. Well, to make more sense, the ending song is Shrek. How'd it go? "I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her, if I tried." Yeah, that summed it up pretty well. Georgianna did nothing special, but for some reason, despite what she did to him, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He frowned and looked down at his not even touched lab sheet. Really, the worst part of it was, Amy knew. Amy had seen and heard about how he had been acting around Georgianna, how she was like an illness to him. Amy never said anything, or joked about it, but she looked at him in such a way that he knew she was laughing._

In one of those moments people do as teenagers and regret not only years later but while performing the act itself, Bright stood up and walked over to Georgianna's table. Without looking at her directly but more on the rest of the girls, he asked if they had a triple-beam balance. The girls laughed, but Georgianna only had a smirk to show.

"Why? This lab doesn't need one?" some red head asked him. For a moment one could see, upon careful examination, the worry rush by on the other side of his eyes. But, Bright flushed all signs of worry with a typical Bright smile.

"I know, I'm a couple of labs behind. I had other stuff to do," he said. The girls giggled and Georgianna looked up at him from where she sat. 

"Sorry, we don't have one," she told him with no malice. He nodded in response, pretending to respond coolly even though he felt somewhat like fainting. Once he sat down he stared at his lab sheet once again but didn't see it. He sighed realizing something. He _had_ been pretending to be cool. All was not right with the world. 

When Ephram got home that night after spending his after school hours with Desi, he found his sister in front of the TV watching some movie mentally beneath him, and his father on the phone in the kitchen. In the past, Ephram would have suspected that as soon as the phone was back in its cradle, his father would be off. While the idea did linger in the boy's mind, it stayed there. Andy hung up and smiled at his son slightly before turning to the stove and fiddling with some of the knobs. Ephram picked an apple out of the bowl on the counter, made sure it was real, and took a bite from it.

"What was that about?" he asked. Andy turned briefly to him but kept his attention on the stove. He chuckled slightly.

"Oh, I just made arrangements for Delia to take horse back riding lesson during the summer," the father explained. Ephram nodded in approval, slightly impressed. 

"Where?"

"Oh, some place just out of town. She's doesn't know yet, so, shh," Andy told him. Ephram nodded and went to watch TV with his little sister.


	82. anyone lived in a pretty how town

It was Sam's first field trip so Nina had decided to go with Sam's class. There had been a shortage of chaperones anyway, and it would make Sam feel better. The trip was, ironically enough, to a field…. Actually it was to a nature preserve, but fields were included. Sam's teacher called them 'meadows,' but she was fooling herself, they were fields…. 

It was half an hour on a school bus each way so Nina made sure to pack plenty of carrot sticks, celery, and other things kids wouldn't normally eat if they had a choice. She also brought coloring books and those markers that don't write on anything but the special paper. Sam's teacher said he would be plenty occupied by what she had planned, but ever since that medication bit, Nina had a diminished value of Sam's teacher. 

Nina was sure she was ready to go, she had everything she will and might need. The only thing she lacked, really, was a babysitter for Meredith. Since the field trip was on a school day all of the names on Nina's babysitter list were in school. Nina needed to find someone who knew how to take care of a baby and it wouldn't interfere drastically with their work. Nina needed a parent with a boring job.

Amy and Colin sat at a little table toward the back of the cafeteria. The table was in the secluded area, sheltering it from many of the other students. These tables were never used for eating purposes, usually they were used for, _recreational encounters, but Amy and Colin sat there purely for comfort reasons. Colin had a headache that he claimed to be nothing, but Amy took no chances with her returned boyfriend, and moved them to the quieter region. _

"Grover," Colin said abruptly. Amy's head turned to him, "that was your nickname, right?" he finished. Amy nodded.

"So, what was _mine? And Bright's, what was Bright's nickname?" Colin asked her. Amy smiled, remembering._

"Bright's was 'Nacho.' Bright 'Nacho' Abbott," Amy told him and Colin chuckled slightly.

"So, what, does he have some odd obsession with Mexican food?" Colin asked. She smiled and shook her head.

"No, no. Originally it was 'Not So,' but over time it just changed to 'Nacho,'" she explained while lifting her eyebrows. Colin chuckled again, and Amy was glad to hear it. 

"Not So Bright, I get it, did you come up with that one?" Colin asked her. Amy placed an index finger to her lips and shooed him jokingly. He laughed again.

"So what was mine?"

"'Blood 'n Guts!'" Amy told him with a bit of pizzazz in her voice. 

"How on earth did I get that nickname?" Colin asked completely confused and yet amused by it.

"In the seventh grade you knocked the guts out of a baseball. They added the 'blood' for dramatic effect," she told him. He nodded his head smiling.

"Never a dull moment in Everwood, huh?" he asked her. She moved her chin to one side.

"Not recently anyway."

Nina was refilling a coffee mug when Penny Laderer walked into the diner. Penny took her normal stool and exchanged pleasantries with Harold, who was already half way finished with his lean ham sandwich. Upon seeing the librarian an idea formed itself in Nina's head and took over. Nina walked over to Penny and filled her mug with coffee.

"What can I get for you today Penny?" Nina asked her smiling. Penny sighed in thought. 

"Um, just a grilled cheese sandwich," Penny replied. Nina ordered it for her with a smile. Harold had been watching Nina and Penny since Nina had first smiled at her, now he just sighed in aggravation. 

"Nina, whatever it is you want to ask her go ahead, you're driving me crazy," Harold instructed her, taking a sip from his coffee mug. Nina bit her lower lip and Penny looked at her confused. 

"Do you need something?" Penny asked her cautiously. Nina frowned at the push forward.

"I need a babysitter," Nina admitted. Penny's eyes widened in surprise.

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no…" Penny said standing up. Nina frowned again.

"It'll only be for a few hours Penny, I-"

"No Nina! You can't ask me to do that."

"Penny, you have to move on sometime," Nina told her earnestly for her own good. 

"Why? Why do I have to?" Penny demanded from her.

"Because if you don't you'll turn into you're mo-" Nina started but stopped herself. At that everyone in the room was shocked to hear Nina start saying what they knew she had started saying. Everyone, that is, except Andy, who had just walked in the door. Penny's eyes narrowed angrily, and sadly.

"Into my what? Into my _mother_?" Penny finished for her. Nina looked at her sadly.

"Penny I didn't..." Nina started but Penny shook her head and raised her hand to stop Nina from going on.

"Forget it," Penny said grabbing her coat and walking past Andy and out of the door.

 Nina sighed and looked at her feet as everyone in the diner went back to their plates. Andy sat down next to Harold and took Penny's still warm coffee mug in his hands. 

"What was that about?" he asked anyone who would answer. Nina shook her head and walked into the back, out of sight of everyone. Harold sighed.

"Has anyone gotten around to telling you about Penny's marital status yet?" Harold asked him. Andy looked at him somewhat surprised that he of all people would respond to his inquiry. Andy nodded anyway.

"Yes, and about her daughter," Andy told him. Harold nodded.

"Figures. Well, Neil Laderer, Penny's father, was not her mother's first husband. She had been married previously and had a child, who died in infancy. Her husband died shortly not there after. Penny's mother shut herself in, wouldn't talk to anyone, she made herself very sick. Finally her family made her marry Neil, and she had Penny. That was a touch and go birth. But, for the rest of her life Penny's mother was always very ill, she finally died when Penny was in college," Harold explained. Andy nodded in understanding and took a sip from Penny's mug. He sighed and turned once again to Harold.

"That family doesn't have a curse on it, does it?" 

"There have been rumors," Harold admitted. Andy looked at him in immense surprise.

"Really?" Andy asked shocked. Harold nodded.

"None I'd give any merit to, of course. But they're out there."

"Like what?" Andy asked curiously. Harold looked at him questionably, but then sighed. 

"According to local rumor, which I have no doubt is made completely out of fallacies, Penny's mother was a descendant of Ronald Everwood, the town's American founder," Harold started. Andy nodded in understanding.

"I've heard the story, about his daughter…."

"Okay, well, supposedly because of what Ronald Everwood did, everyone in the line was to lose a child. So far the curse hasn't missed a generation," Harold told him. Andy nodded his head comprehending it all. He took a sip of Penny's coffee.

Ephram laid stomach up on his bed. He had his music on and was just looking at the ceiling, somewhat in thought, and somewhat asleep. He really hadn't spoken to Jig since Isaac left, and he really wanted to. Not only was it his duty as her best friend to walk in when Isaac walks out, but, he just bought the first Inu-yasha manga book and he wanted her to read it.

 Fairly shortly after laying down, Ephram fell asleep. His dream had something to do with a horse and oranges. It didn't make any sense but not a lot of dreams do. When he did awaken he felt somewhat light headed but very calm and comfortable. He did notice something was different from when he had fallen asleep, so he looked over to his left, and smiled. Jig was asleep next to him on the bed. She must have come to see him and didn't want to wake him up. He poked her slightly in the shoulder with his index finger. First she frowned, then she batted his finger away, then she finally woke up and saw him looking at her. She smiled too and sat up, looking down at him. 

"I didn't want to wake you," she told him. He nodded, sitting up too.

"I figured that," he replied. She looked at him for a moment, capturing that image of him to keep with her no matter what might happen in the future. She sighed.

"I've been avoiding you," Jig confessed. Ephram nodded again.

"I figured that," he repeated and she laughed slightly.

"I just, I don't know, I didn't know what to say," she tried to explain. He shrugged to begin his response. 

"There's nothing to say, really…."

"But-!" Jig started but Ephram stopped her with a raised hand.

"You're still the Jig you were before he came here. Nothing has changed," he reassured her. Jig smiled, pleased by his feelings on the subject. He lowered his hand.

"Now, I have a new manga!" he told her jumping off his bed and to a pile of books he had in the corner. Jig joined him happily. 


	83. with up so floating many bells down

Jig had never smelled a barn before, but while standing on the porch she certainly got a life time supply of the smell. She had knocked on the door a few times and now waited for a response from the inside. The thought did cross her mind that no one was home, but not only was there a car in the driveway, there were three of them. Finally a man answered who reminded Jig of a TV show she had seen from the 70's. He looked her over as if discerning whether or not he should speak to her. 

"What?" he finally said in a callused voice. She was nervous enough being there without him.

"Um, can I, uh, may I speak to Kate, please?" she asked him shyly. This caused him to look her over again, this time with more scrutiny.

"Are you a friend from school?" he asked. She bit the inside of her lip slightly, wondering that if she lied, would he know.

"I took piano lessons," Jig told him. It wasn't a lie, she had taken them, Ephram taught her. He gave her one more look before calling for his daughter. Jig tried not to make her relief visible, he did catch on a little to it, but not enough to ask.

When Kate got to the door she too gave Jig a questionable look over. Kate, Jig noted, was hugging herself with a very meek look on her face, very timid, almost afraid of the world. Kate looked back over her shoulder to see if her father was in earshot, but he wasn't. So she turned back to Jig.

"So who are you?" 

"My name is Ji- Juliet. I'm a friend of Ephram Brown's… and Dr. Brown's…" Jig let on. Kate narrowed her eyes and looked Jig over again, much like her father had.

"What do you want?" Kate asked. Jig sighed slightly, readying for the big jump.

"Dr. Brown wanted me to talk to you," Jig told her. Kate fell deathly silent, understanding more than was said. 

"I have to go," Kate said beginning to close the door. Jig stuck both her foot and arm in the door's path. 

"I know you feel like you want to throw up all the time, and I know you want to kill yourself, you just can't bring yourself to do it," Jig told her. Kate opened the door and looked at Jig meekly. She sighed, looked down at the ground, and let Jig inside. 

Kate had placed Jig in a secluded room of the house and came back carrying a tray with two cups and a teapot. She closed and locked the door behind her and poured both herself and Jig a cup of tea. Jig wasn't normally a tea drinker, but she took a sip regardless. As Kate sat down Jig cleared her throat and positioned herself to have a better angle at which to speak. Jig gripped the hem of her loose fitting shirt, hoping it would give her some strength.

"Okay, so, Dr. Brown told me all about it, and there's a reason why he did. Uh, earlier this week was my one year anniversary," Jig confessed quickly. Kate looked at her now after trying to avoid doing so. Kate's eyes were growing noticeable tears.

"Does the pain ever stop?" Kate asked her desperately. Jig's eyebrows narrowed slightly, knowing she had to tell Kate the truth.

"I don't know, it's only been a year, but I've heard it does. It should be easier for you, though, you can afford Prozac. I couldn't, that really sucked…" Jig complained, and Kate smiled slightly. Well, she didn't frown, at least. 

"There shouldn't be a problem getting a prescription," Kate told her. Jig nodded.

"Yeah, there's a good bit of living in Everwood. Those who know, _care_!" Jig exclaimed, and this time Kate really did smile. Then they fell silent again, each taking a mechanical sip from their tea cups. 

"So who was he?" Kate asked her. Jig let out a relieving sigh.

"Hunter Berman. I cleaned his horse."

"I've never heard it put _that way before," Kate said and they both laughed. Jig watched her laughing._

"When's the last time you laughed, Kate?" she asked and Kate let out a contemplative sigh.

"A very long time." 

"There are places and people you can get in contact with, probably not in Everwood but in Denver. Groups where you can talk about it. It can really help. After my abortion, I practically lived at this Women's center in downtown LA. They had great biscuits…"

"What happened to him?"

"Who?"

"Hunter," Kate specified. At that Jig fell very solemn, even for the subject at hand.

"He died shortly before I found out I was pregnant. Pancreatic cancer, of all things," Jig said, finally beginning to cry herself, Kate fell silent and let her go on. "So, you can imagine how I felt after I got rid of the baby. I felt like I had killed Hunter all over again. Like I destroyed the last piece of him in the entire world. Like I abandoned him…."

"So why'd you get the abortion?" Kate asked in a sensitive tone.

"I couldn't have that baby. I couldn't condemn it to a life of poverty and pain. That's all there was for it. Hunger, horror, hopelessness. A lot of other things beginning with 'h.' I couldn't do that to something I knew I would love so much. I wanted to end the pain. I wanted my suffering to end with me!" Jig told Kate, tears now flowing briefly from them both.

"My, my dad made me feel like everything I had done was wrong. Like sleeping with Matthew was the bottom line worse ting I could ever do. And, aborting the baby, my dad made it seem, was like, making things right again. He really made me regret my love for Matthew, to the point where I wouldn't… couldn't… let anything beautiful come from it. I had to pretend it never happened, like God would forget if there wasn't any evidence. I thought that I really didn't have a choice, even when Dr. Brown said I did, I, I couldn't believe. I _really_ thought that baby would mean the end for me," Kate admitted for the first time. Jig set both of their tea cups down and wrapped her arms around Kate, who was now crying and bright red in the face. 

"Don't worry Kate, God will forgive you. That's what he does," Jig reassured her, but it didn't make Kate feel any better. Maybe if Jig had actually believed in God it would have come across better. 

"Why did I do it? Why!" Kate nearly screamed. Jig held her tighter. 

"Because regret is what keeps us tethered to the Earth. Without it we'd just float into oblivion, forever forgotten," Jig offered. Kate wrapped her arms around Jig now.

Edna and Irv spent that early April night in front of the fire, waiting for Jig to return in a quasi fashion. They were both silent, each reading their choices. Irv had the _Everwood Pinecone wile Edna read from some random motorcycle magazine. Finally the silence in the house got to Irv which it was somewhat known to do. With a sigh he folded the newspaper and placed it in his lap. He turned toward Edna, as if expecting his sigh and paper folding would have gained her attention. He was kidding himself again._

"Edna…" he called to her. She continued reading about some custom bike, completely oblivious to her husband's voice. Irv sighed again in aggravation, this time simply for his own use.

"Hey _grandma," he yelled. At this remark Edna's head snapped toward him with a force that could crush a walnut had one been there._

"Watch it tubby!" she scolded. He chuckled slightly, reassuring her he meant nothing but good things by it.

"It's the only way I can get your attention while you're reading that," he explained. Edna frowned and placed the magazine on the table between where the two sat.

"Okay then, what do you want?"

"I was just getting tired of this silence. Let's talk," he suggested. Edna looked up at the ceiling and let out an aggravated yet yielding sigh. She moved her feet from up on the couch to the floor, turning to face him.

"About what?" she demanded, trying to sound enthusiastic. If Edna was ever truly enthusiastic about anything, no one would notice anyway, so the attempt was useless.

"Well, how about Linda. Where is she now? How's her new book coming?"

"I don't know about the book but she's doing some research in Asia, or Africa… some place incredibly too hot for anyone from Everwood…."

"Is she still learning about Eastern medicines?" Irv asked, himself thinking the subject quite interesting. Edna, however, despite everything, still had some of her old fashioned ideas in her. She scoffed at Irv's question.

"Yeah. I'm glad she waited for her father to die before she started that stuff. It would have killed him," Edna explained, propping her feet up again on the sofa and reaching for her magazine.

"Mack's getting married," Irv chimed in as the magazine was in mid air. The periodical fell to the floor. Edna looked at him surprised, studying his face to see if her oaf was joking again. His face showed no signs of jest. 

"Married? At his age? Unacceptable Irv, you have to do something," she commanded him. He just smiled.

"Who am I to say who or when he can and cannot marry?" he asked not so much for the answer but just to bring up some familiar arguments Edna had faced before.

"Besides," Irv continued, "he's told me quite a bit about her. Her name is, Lisa, I think, she's Puerto Rican. She seems very nice and sophisticated. That's two things Mack needs exposure to in large doses."

"Are you finished? Is there anymore important news you need to tell me?" Edna asked him as she picked up her magazine. He shook his head in response. Edna nodded in approval and opened the magazine to where she left off.

"Oh, Edna," Irv said. Edna turned to him with a scowl. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh shut up!" Edna yelled and went back to her magazine again. Irv chuckled slightly.


	84. spring summer autumn winter

"Ephram! You got a package in the mail!" Andy called into the house as he closed the door behind him. The box in his hands was not extremely heavy, but by no means light. As for its size it was quite obviously bigger than a bread box. His son unusually bolted down the stairs with excitement and he took the box from his father and carried it over to the couch. Andy, being curious, grabbed a knife and handed it to Ephram to help with the opening. Ephram opened the package quickly and pulled out pieces of cardboard servicing as insulation. The objects Ephram pulled out from the box, oddly enough, appeared to Andy as a camera body and a few different lenses, as well as a carrying case for all of it.

"Have you taken up photography?" Andy asked curiously. Ephram shook his head, smiling.

"No," Ephram replied placing everything back in the box and bolting upstairs, most likely to his room. Andy sighed and scratched his head.

Jig and Desi were up in Desi's room with the door shut and music on loud enough to drown any words they uttered from the rest of the house. Desi sat cross-legged on her better searching through a small dictionary of quotations. Jig was moving about the room fetching a miniature bright green basketball she had thrown through a miniature hoop attached to the back of Desi's door. Desi had gotten it while she was writing her novel she had found it helpful to beat writer's block. 

"Okay, okay! In the 'friends' subject, 'it is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us,' Epicurus. That one reminds me of you and Ephram," Desi read. Jig let out a slight chuckle. 

"That guy has a weird name regardless," Jig told her. Desi nodded.

"Are you afraid of God?" Desi asked her suddenly. Jig held the basketball in her hands and looked at Desi confused.

"No," was all she replied.

"Death?"

"No."

"The afterlife?"

"No."

"Well then Epicurus would like you. He felt that true happiness comes from conquering fear of those things," Desi informed her. Jig nodded her head in approval slightly. Desi turned back to her book.

"I wonder how many of these fight you and Ephram. 'True friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable?" Desi said and she and Jig nodded at each other.

"That one sounds good."

"Okay, how about 'true friendship is never serene?'" Desi asked and Jig just laughed slightly.

"That one definitely does."

"Oh! Okay, 'there are three faithful friends- an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.' Which one do you think you are for Ephram?" 

Jig sighed, missing a shot.

"Well, I'm not ready money, that's for sure."

"Yeah."

"Old wives tend to come with a layer of distrust and general hatred…."

"I have an aunt who'll testify to that one. So I guess that leaves…" Desi started. Jig picked up the bright green basketball.

"Woof," she said smiling. 

With spring weather attempting to overtake Everwood in conjunction with the typical April humidity, the fog lay so thick on the roads it was hard to drive. Andy managed, however, for some reason the years of navigating New York City streets in the snow and smog, helped him in this case. Or maybe it was the fog lights, Andy wasn't really sure on the subject. He slowed down to  stop at a barely visible red light, and gripped the steering wheel tighter when he was lurched forward anyway. When the light turned green again, Andy and the car behind him pulled over to the side of the road. Andy got out of his car and walked around to look at the back of it, as well as the front of the truck that had rear-ended him. Andy's SUV had one taillight smashed in and the bumper looked like it might come off. Andy had to let out a sigh. For all the money he spent on that car and all of the promises he was given, not to mention all of the pollution the car gave off, the damn thing couldn't take a hit. 

The farmer in the pickup truck was already apologizing profusely before he even got out of the car. Andy only waved it off; the damage was nothing he couldn't pay for. He even offered to pay for the damage to the pickup truck but the man wouldn't hear of it and insisted on giving Andy his insurance number. As they drove off, Andy placed the number in a compartment where he knew he'd forget about it. 

When Andy pulled into his spot carefully as Harold was getting out of his own car, the Mensa member easily noted the damage, even in the ironically now thinning fog. Harold looked at the damage more out of curiosity than worry for the other doctor's health. 

"What happened?" Harold asked him. Andy sighed and shook his head.

"I got rear-ended. Any idea where I can get it fixed?" Andy asked him. Harold had to think for a few seconds before answering him.

"Well, there are a few garages around here, but, for you, I suggest Pancho's. It's on the corner of Dutch and Elmleaf," Harold advised. Andy nodded, thanked him painlessly, and each doctor entered their own particular office.

Ephram and Jig were walking down Everwood's main street, Ephram carrying a bag of groceries and Jig eating a red apple. Ephram had shopping to do and Jig had tagged along. Ein kept up briskly at their feet, ignoring several things he would have found of interest so he wouldn't lose them. Ephram stopped at a fruit stand in front of a store and looked through the oranges. Jig stood next to him and looked around them, as if his bodyguard. Ein, in turn, stopped and was the bodyguard for Jig.

"Can I see the list?" Jig asked and Ephram handed it to her without question. Jig had written the list herself from what Andy had said, and even she had trouble reading it. The fact that Ephram, well, anyone, could read her handwriting surprised her.

"Ephram, oranges aren't on the list."

"I like oranges."

"But they aren't on the list. What if you run out of money on oranges and can't buy the other things?"

"I have Dad's credit card."

"But that's just wasting money," Jig told him. Ephram turned to her and they stared at each other for a bit, both realizing the different worlds they came from. The direction of their eyes changed when two people walked out of the store they were in front of. They were both women, one old and wrinkled with beads elaborately embroidered in her clothes and hair. The other was probably in her early twenties and dressed in a more modern looking style. They were obviously both of Native American origin, the older no doubt the teacher of ancient tales and the younger the listener of them. The old woman surveyed Ephram and Jig quietly and then saw Ein standing at their feet.

"Do you belong to that raccoon?" the woman asked them to their surprise. It was then Ephram noted the raccoon figures stitched onto the old woman's clothes; and the raccoon earrings the young woman wore. Jig nodded.

"Yeah, he followed me home… a few times…" she explained. The old woman smiled and nodded. She elbowed the younger woman who sighed. The younger woman reached into her coat pocket and pulled two necklaces made of thin leather strips, a few beads of smoothened stones, and what looked like a small, silver raccoon as the main adornment. 

"My grandmother wishes you to have these," the woman said and handed them each one. Ephram and Jig looked at the necklaces, each other, and then to the two women.

"Um, thank you," Ephram said and Jig nodded in agreement. The old woman smiled at them, and the two walked past the friends onto the sidewalk. Ein made some noise and the old woman turned back and bowed to him slightly, and then continued on her way. Jig and Ephram turned back to each other, shrugged, placed the necklaces in their pockets, and continued arguing about oranges. 

Andy drove over to Pancho's garage and found it under a sign that read 'Pancho's: Like You Have A Chioce.' 'Choice' being misspelled. The building itself was somewhat small, the garage was on the ground floor and above it was either offices or an apartment. It looked more like an apartment by what Andy could see of the windows. 

Pancho was a nice, middle to late aged man whose ancestors had been some of the original founders of Everwood, before it was called Everwood. Actually, Pancho was Pancho's great-grandfather's name; this Pancho's actual name is Herman. He was generally pleasant and avoided getting grease on Andy's hands. Pancho surveyed the damage with an expert glance and shook his head.

"Mr. Riffel, yeah, that man does this all the time," Pancho told him. Andy looked at him surprised.

"You can tell you ran into me?"

"Yup…" Pancho replied with an all knowing nod. 

"Andy?" Penny asked walking down the stairway that led to the floor above the garage. He was quite surprised to see her.

"Hello Penny, what are you doing here?" he questioned giving her one of his trademark polite smiles. She laughed slightly, nervously.

"I Live here, I, own the building…" she explained. Andy remained silent and nodded, keeping his surprise well hidden. Not even Pancho, who could evidently tell everything from nothing, noticed it. 

"Really?" Andy asked her. She nodded, placing on her coat.

"Yeah, I got it from my Dad; Pancho here rents the bottom half I live in the top half. Now I hate to greet and leave but I have to go, I'm babysitting Meredith tonight…" Penny said smiling slightly and walking down the street. Now Andy had no problems showing his surprise and, well, utter shock. Pancho laughed with his belly and they started discussing what to do about the bumper and taillight. 


	85. he sang his didn't he danced his did

Ever since the kiss, or, what Delia would call it, the defining romantic moment of her pre-adolescent life, she and Torres avoided each other completely. No one who had ever lived next to each other and were in the same class saw less of each other then Delia and Torres. And Murasaki helped her, without question. In truth Mursaki's helpfulness sprang from a slight layer of guilt and responsibility, it was greatly appreciated by Delia none the less. Unfortunately the two friends never discussed the avoidance so Delia was never able to thank her for the support. 

Late one afternoon, after school had let out and the school bus was no longer needed, Irv drove up into the hills, only a few minutes out of the city. The house he and Edna now lived in had been his father's; Irv's father had bought it while Irv was fighting in the Second World War. It was home for Irv now, but it hadn't always been. Despite being settled by Mexicans Everwood had a period where non-Whites were allowed but not accepted. Growing up Irv had to live just outside of down, in a two story white house with his parents, cousins, and grandfather. His entire family had managed to fit in that house. He would always remember Sunday night dinners with a smile. There would always be some pair fighting about something, but you never heard fighting with so much love in it. 

He drove past that house now. The screen door lay on the porch, broken. The once brilliant white paint from so many years ago had peeled and lay around the house in the dry tall grass. About a decade or so ago the building had finally been condemned. Now it only told ghostly memories of what used to be, of all the life that used to circle it. The house, however, was not Irv's reason for the trip. It was the house about a mile down the road that drew him. It was much smaller then what he had grown up in, a ranch styled house. It was still lived in, a new coat of blue paint was on it and several pairs of plastic shudders adorned the windows. Instead of wood and moss the roof was now aluminum. Irv pulled up in front of the house and walked over to the front porch. The over weight white woman who sat on the porch nodded to him and he smiled at her, nodding back in appreciation. He then walked past the house and into the field behind it.

As many memories as that house too held for him, it was also not the cause for his trip. The reason he ventured to this desolate spot, through the tall dry grass and to the forgotten oak tree was because of… Maggie. They had been neighbors, growing up. Neither of them had any siblings, so they were always playing together. He was a few years older and was always looking out for her. They would play in this field until the sun went down, no matter the season. In the summer they ran like Hell and in the winter they built cities. It seemed like cities, anyway. He smiled standing in front of that oak tree. He fell in love with her under that tree. Now she was buried under it. 

There was one song that always reminded Irv of Maggie. It was Scottish; he was sure, and very pretty.

 "I wandered today, to the hills, Maggie, to watch the scene below, the creek and creaking old mill, Maggie, where we used to long long ago. The green growth is gone from the hills Maggie, where first the daisies sprung. The creaking old mill is still, Maggie, since you and I were young. Oh they say that I'm feeble with age, Maggie, my steps are much slower than then. My face is a well written page, Maggie, and time all along was the pen. Oh they say we have outlived our time, Maggie, as dated as songs that we've sung, but to me you're as fair as you were Maggie, when you and I were young. Oh they say we have outlived our time, Maggie, as dated as songs, that we've sung, but to me, you're as fair as you were Maggie, when you and I were young, when you and I were young."

That was it, that was the song. He had it sung at her funeral, and he always sang it to her grave. He wasn't sure how she felt about the song, but it always made him feel better, and since he was the living one, that's really what mattered.

Andy sat in Mama Joy's occasionally sipping from his mug of coffee. Everyone he had treated that day was suffering from the same thing, allergies. The warming weather and melting snow introduced so many molds and other allergens into the air Andy was glad he didn't charge anyone. It took five minutes to diagnose and write the prescription, charging them anything would be robbery. He wasn't sure what Harold was doing about it, and it wasn't any of his business. That was something Andy was quickly learning to differentiate from, his business and not his business. He was trying….

One thing he figured could be his business is a large crowd of Everwood citizens surrounding a single area. It so happened such a thing as this was occurring across the street from Mama Joy's. Andy paid for his coffee and headed toward the door.

"Let me know, okay?" Nina asked him from behind the counter. He nodded and walked out onto the street.

He had noted and heard the rumors about all of the construction happening there, a lot of his patients talked to him about it and he usually let them. No one knew what was being built, not even Brenda Baxworth. Andy had given thought to asking his son's girlfriend about it, Desi usually had connections to everything. Her father being mayor gave her several inside contacts, but if she knew anything the entire town would know by now. In fact, Andy didn't really care what the business or whatever would be, he just wanted to know why no one knew. 

The crowd around the area seemed rather excited and Andy could hear the mumbles from them as he left Mama Joy's. He remembered what the business front had looked like before it was covered with a cloth, as it was now. It was run down and dirty and generally looked down upon as part of Main Street. Andy believed a building should always get another chance, and he didn't just say it, he acted accordingly, as anyone in Everwood would say. He was glad someone was doing something with the space, even if it turned out to be another doctor's office. 

A youngish man stepped out from behind the cloth and climbed onto a ladder with his hands at the top of the cloth, like he was going to finally take it down. The man was probably a few inches taller than Andy, off the ladder of course, with essentially 'wild' blonde hair appearing from under a tan cowboy hat, and a very tan complexion. He smiled perfectly at the gathering. The murmuring from the crowd grew for a second and then lessened slightly, everyone making their last minute predictions.

"I'd like to thank y'all for coming out here. Bet y'all itchin' to see what's under this here blanket, and I'm pleased to show it to ya!" the man told them. The Southern stereotypes in that small speech alone made Andy snicker, and he didn't snicker easily. The man removed the cloth and complete and utter silence seemed to overcome the entire street.

"I'll be damned…" Andy muttered under his breath. 

Andy walked back in Mama Joy's with a generally shocked look on his face. He sat down on a stool and didn't, well, blink, for quite some time. Nina walked over to him and leaned against the counter excited.

"So, what is it?" she asked him raising her eyebrows for a moment in anticipation. Andy turned to her, the same look of surprise adorning his face as before. He just shook his head, finally letting his mouth close.

"You don't want to know," he said seemingly as surprised by the response as she was. Nina frowned slightly and was going to question him further when someone wanted a refill on coffee. Andy just remained there, shaking his head in shock. 

Ephram walked into the kitchen with an unusual hum. It wasn't so much the hum itself that was unusual, but the source of it. Delia had been alone in the kitchen until Ephram entered, and she now watched him carefully, waiting for any sudden movements. But Ephram did nothing but pour himself a glass of water. He did eventually notice Delia by the kitchen table, a piece of paper in her hands and several envelopes on the table in front of her.

"What 'cha got there?" he asked walking over to her. 

"Today's mail. This one's for you," she said moving the piece of paper in her hands. He looked at her questionably.

"And you opened it?" he asked her. She nodded.

"It was addressed to the family, but really it's for you. Your piano teacher in New Jersey died," she informed her. He raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly, reading over the letter.

"Ding-dong," he said and then looked at Delia, realizing he had spoken the thought, "don't tell Dad I said that…" he instructed. She nodded and made a zipper closing motion of her mouth.                                                                                                                                  


	86. sweet sorrow, indeed

This is to be read only have you have watched the first episode of season two.

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 Dear readers,

I thank those of you who have read and reviewed "Birds Coughing in the Trees," especially those of you who offered actual advice instead of short ego boosters (which were appreciated too.) After tonight's season premiere, I have come to the decision that Everwood is no longer a fandom worth my time. It has completely lost my respect and therefore "Birds Coughing in the Trees" will no longer be updated. They have lost me, and I never intend to return.

For anyone who was curious how the entire fanfic was to end, I was soon to write Jig's father's mother coming to see her, Isaac's gift to her father, and taking Jig away to Florida where she would learn about her father. In August Desi was going to let Ephram go, realizing he had learned everything about being free that he could from her, and let him move on. And Amy, would be there to comfort Ephram and keep him. Andy and Penny were going to get married, and in a few years have a son who I have not named. 

My original plan was to have Jig come back to Everwood when Colin was healed, and for the two of them to get along. That may no longer come to pass, so what is the use of writing a story that now has no ending?

Unfortunately,

Lady Jenna


End file.
